Yellow Brick Road
by RenEmma
Summary: Divergence 534 . The Jewel was thought to be destroyed, but Kagome knew better. Now she must try to fix past transgressions. Sesshoumaru is her protector at Inuyasha's behest. Come, follow the insane road. Warning: Dark
1. Chapter 1: A Stroll in the Park

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

AN: Thank you to SleepingChickenNugget and Nekette for beta-ing.

Chapter 1: A Stroll in the Park

'What has happened… wait, did anything happen? No. Yes?'

Kagome finally opened her eyes to see the world beyond her mind. Immediately, she wanted to go back to her internal debate and avoid her duty. Honor was a vindictive bitch. So were the Kami and Fate, for that matter. Oh yes, she was positive that Fate was its own entity. She was also looking forward to pulling out fistfuls of Fate's hair. Yes, not only was fate an entity, but also a woman in her forty-first week of pregnancy. That would be the only explanation for the current situation. Damn hormonal bitch.

'Okay, wench. Focus... wait, did I just call myself wench? When did Kagome cease to exist in my own mind? Wow, maybe I should refer to myself in the third person until I can remember to… ouch!'

The pain reminded her that she was, in fact, in the middle of a battle. It was not just a little skirmish in which she could yell from on the sidelines, either. There were no sidelines. Well there were, but the creepy crawly things lurking in the shadows of the side lines made you want to be a target painted in neon yellow in the center of the battle field. Again, pain refocused her thoughts as she became aware of someone yelling her name.

'No. Wench is not my name. Kagome meet yourself. Kagome is the only name you should respond to if you ever want others to learn to use it. Oh, and DUCK! DUCK is a good name to respond to.'

The blow to her head was not fatal, but it was enough to cause her to white out for a second. Unfortunately, for the enemy they were facing, it was in this moment of white that clarity showed the path to victory. She was on all fours in the bloody mud with an opponent perched above her, ready to delivery another blow meant to render her defenseless for hours to come, when she began to sing.

"Oh, we're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz."

Kagome's hand wrapped around the calf of her assailant, her nails digging into the flesh. As soon as she knew she had breached the skin, her powers pulsed through her hand. Said assailant screamed in agony, then was no more than ash. The air hummed around her as she stood effortlessly. She proceeded to belt out the same line from the Wizard of Oz over and over again, as she skipped along the yellow brick road.

If one were to get technical, there was no yellow brick road outside of her own vision. The battlefield stilled as all who were present watched the prize go insane. She was skipping happily and singing at the top of her lungs, in a language no one understood. While both allies and enemies alike seemed memorized by the girl's aimless frolicking, none realized that she had reached her goal until she referred to a seemingly inconspicuously attired foe as "Wizard".

"Oh great and terrible Wizard of Oz, we have come to you in search of a way home, a heart, a brain, and courage. Oh, what is that you say? We have had them all along? Wait, let me try." She stepped back and closed her eyes, muttering 'There is no place like home' while clicking her heels together. "Oh damn, I lost my ruby slippers. Mind if I borrow yours?"

With that said, Kagome reached forward blasting her power through her hands. The force she used purified the opposing leader as well as all standing in front of her on the battlefield. She stood exhausted from her contribution to the fight, and turned when she felt movement behind her. Another of the enemy had advanced on her, intending to seek retribution for his fallen leader.

She smiled at him, but frowned when a giant steel fang cleaved him in two. Looking at the one controlling the fang, she whined, "But I wanted to keep the flying monkey, such a waste of pixie dust." Falling into blackness, she didn't care if life or death waited for her on the other end.

Inuyasha caught her before she could fall face first into a puddle of her own blood. Kagome had destroyed more than three quarters of the enemy forces. Besides taking down the well-hidden leader of the rebel forces, she had also attacked the shadow youkai that were used to keep the fight out in the open. Her light was still seeking them out, forcing the same torture they used on their prey to overcome them.

This was supposed to be a simple battle. No one was expecting that the rebel leader would venture out into the open. However, the rebels believed that they could take down the second son with the shadow. The West was unaware that rebels had managed to gain control of the elusive youkai since their escape. Once it was known that shadows surrounded the field, none from the west believed there was a chance for survival. How do you fight an enemy that has no weaknesses? However, they would not surrender. It would not be through their cowardice that the West would fall.

The day was won only one miko later. Now the rebels saw that to oppose the West meant a painful death. Inuyasha almost pitied the enemies that survived this field only to be pumped for information in the dungeons. He quickly set that thought aside when a gasp for air came from the small woman in his arms.

She was not supposed to have been there. She was supposed to be in the garden of the Western Citadel. She was supposed to be protected. Actually, she was supposed to have returned home many years ago, but his freedom cost her more than he could ever repay. However, these thoughts would need to wait until he had gotten her someplace where her injuries could be taken care of. In all of the years that she had patched him, Inuyasha had never learned to properly bandage wounds. It had only been in the last eight years that he ever had to worry about others.

--BREAK--

Reaching the gates of the Grand Citadel, Inuyasha decided to forgo protocol and headed directly to the healers. If his brother wanted an immediate report, then he should have guarded his charge more carefully.

Laying Kagome down on one of the many futons, the healer approached. A heavy 'tsking' was heard as the healer checked over her body. The wounds on her shoulder and thigh were still bleeding heavily and the gash just above her left hip looked as if it were already festering with infection. The stench coming from the wound as the cloth covering it was removed had Inuyasha almost passing out.

The smell had Inuyasha so disoriented that he did not feel his brother's approach.

"Inuyasha, a commander never leaves his army alone on the battle field." Sesshoumaru's senses were on high alert. It had been the smell of Kagome's blood that alerted him to Inuyasha's approach. Now that he was close to her, he was aware that something was definitely not right. Well besides the fact that she obviously had wounds from a battle she was intended to have no part in.

"I ain't no commander. That army ain't following me, just father's fang. I'm still a dirty half breed to those dogs."

Sesshoumaru only half listened as he stepped closer to the prone form on the futon. Her breathing was far too erratic for the wounds she had. It almost seemed as if she was drowning on the air. His eyes narrowed as he focused on the wound over her hip.

He had seen this before; this was not good. He could feel that her powers were low, but still, how could it survive within her? One of the shadow youkai had invaded her body through her wound.

"How did you get from the battle field to here?" Please let him not be so stupid as to have run through the underbrush.

"We came through the forest. There wasn't time to go around." Inuyasha looked at his brother wondering why he would care.

Baka. "Going over would have been faster. Your time saving has further endangered her life as well as those who seek safety here."

Sesshoumaru turned and ordered a ring of continuous light placed around the room. Turning back to Inuyasha, he demanded a briefing of the battle. When he realized that Inuyasha needed more prompting to relay the pertinent information, he almost sighed.

"The leader's identity, was it discovered?"

"The stupid wench purified him before any of us realized who he actually was. It was weird; he just let her skip right up to him."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow rose. Skipped? Who skips in the middle of a battle?

Yet Inuyasha, completely unaware of his brother's inner monologue, continued on with his recant of the leader's final moments of the battle. "She asked to borrow his ruby slippers. Then she purified him, all who stood behind his back, and the shadows that walled us into the field."

"Purified the shadows without seeing them?"

"I don't know what she did to them exactly. Feh. Whatever it was she did, it sounded horribly painful."

Kagome's voice reached to their ears as though she were trapped beneath a mountain. "Rooted in light. She cast us where the only shadows were our own. Centuries to atone for. No path to follow. White is the path, Black is salvation."

"What the … One of those things is in her? How do we kill it?"

"We do not. If she is strong enough she will. If not then she is lost. The circle of light will ensure the others of the Citadel are safe."

With that said Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and walked away. Having watched others try to overpower a shadow within their own body, he had no interest in seeing it again. The miko was most likely already dead.

Inuyasha stared at his brother's back. Fine let the fluffy bastard walk away. It is not as if he owed her his lands or anything. No, no one owed Kagome anything. She had not saved the world. She had not unconditionally loved. She had not forgiven any trespass against her. She had not chosen honor and duty over her own selfish desires. No, Kagome was not any one's heroine.

"Inuyasha…" He rushed to her side. "Outside the ring."

"Wench, what are ya talking about? There is no ring. How hard was your head hit? Are you stupid now or something?"

"Sit boy." Nothing happened. Even though the rosary had been removed long ago, the phrase still did caused him to flatten his ears. She only used it when she needed him to listen. "Go beyond the light…. Not much time… safe… please."

Here she was mostly dead, and still she was trying to save him from his own mistake. Ears flat, he stepped beyond ring she had been talking about, finally. He watched in morbid fascination as she reached her hand into the festering wound above her hip. She made no sound, the only thing to belie her calm demeanor were the tears streaming down her face. He thought that she had finally gone insane, as she dug around inside herself. Then he knew she was insane as she started laughing hysterically. He had almost breached the ring when she pulled a small figure from her wound.

She had pulled the shadow from her body. It stood no more than nine inches tall. It was a child. The shadows were using their children in the assault. Why would anyone use children in war? Surely this is not the mentality of the enemy they were facing? _'To send children…'_ Inuyasha physically shook off the thought, as he sent a servant to retrieve his brother.

The scene in front of him became even more bizarre as Kagome cradled the child to her chest, cooing to it the whole time.

Sesshoumaru reentered the area minutes later, slightly disturbed with himself for under estimating the miko yet again. He had been prepared for many scenarios; however, the miko treating the shadow as she had once treated the kit was not one of them.

"Shush, flying monkey, you are free. The wicked witch has melted. No one is left to control you."

"Miko." Sesshoumaru had no idea what she was talking about, the insufferable wench. He was wondering if it was worth protecting an insane miko, even if she was a facet to ultimate power. "Put the shadow down."

"If I let go, the monkey will fly into the shadows. Much easier to hold her than to catch her."

Maybe she was not completely insane, after all. "Hn."

"They weren't our enemies. They were slaves. I tortured innocents; well they were not very innocent, but that is not the point. They were not fighting because they chose to. They were forced to. Their only crime was acting on their nature. They do not deserve the light. It is too bright; in it, they see their actions as wrong. How can it be wrong when that was the how the species was designed to survive? If anyone was in the wrong, it was their creator. Oh, and those who manipulated the shadows into to doing their bidding."

"Hn." He came back for this headache; why? Oh, yes. His baka brother sent for him. Well, perhaps maybe he was the baka for heeding the call. No, he was lord. He was no baka; he had proven that fact over the centuries as he had maintained control over his domain. "This Sesshoumaru must have the shadow threat vanquished from his domain."

"Yes, they have a domain of their own. They would go back to it if the light was not blocking their path. The Rebels promised to remove the light once the West fell. I think it was a lie, but they had no choice but to believe. White is path, black is salvation, gray is my life."

The hollowness of her eyes as she spoke shook Sesshoumaru to the bone. Never had he seen this miko this empty before. The realization dawned, that it was not just the miko speaking. She was allowing the shadow to channel through her, so that the shadow could stand the light. This could be far more disastrous than if the shadow had simply killed her.

"Miko, you will release the shadow."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, the shadow cannot gain control. This is the only way to question the child, for she is unable to communicate. The light silenced her pleas for mercy."

Insolent wench. How had she not been struck down before now? "This Sesshoumaru does not repeat himself."

"That is good, because the statement would yield the same result. I have wronged, and I must atone for the mistakes made in the heat of battle." She then muttered under her breath, in such a way that both brothers had to strain to hear, "Stupid ruby slippers were too shiny."

Inuyasha had realized that Kagome had not gone insane, but was instead having a moment of clarity. The problem with these moments of clarity was that, for weeks, she would think and speak in riddles. So the sooner they understood the riddle, the sooner his Kagome would come back.

"Kagome what are the ruby slippers for?" His usually rough speech was set aside, as if he was speaking to a child.

Sesshoumaru was not expecting the sudden attitude change in his younger sibling. He had begrudgingly admitted to himself that Inuyasha had matured in the five years since the downfall of Naraku. Yet this sudden change in demeanor had nothing to do with Inuyasha's maturity level. No, Inuyasha recognized that something significant had changed in the miko's condition. The fact that his brother noticed it before him did nothing soothe the irritation that he was now feeling at being unaware of the change in the current state of affairs of the West.

"Only when they're on can I walk the yellow brick road." The way in which she replied reminded both brothers of a small child stating an obvious answer to a silly question.

Inuyasha realized that her riddle had to do with something from her childhood. The problem was that there was no one alive who understand. Sure, they could wait five hundred years or so to understand, but he was sure that would be just a tad too late. "Where does the road go?"

"To the Emerald City."

Sesshoumaru was tired of the girl speaking in riddles. Did she not realize that he had things that were more important to attend to, now? Selfish mortals, always thinking only of themselves. This needed to be attended to immediately. "Why would one travel to the Emerald City?"

"To ask the Wizard for a brain, a heart, courage, and a way home. Only, he didn't have those things. Everyone had what he or she was wishing for, already. Now, I must turn the lights off so the shadow can follow the path as well." The statement set her to her feet, as she pulled the blanket around herself. This move effectively shielded the shadow child from the ring of light meant to contain her. She walked away from both who had sworn to protect her, her mission was clear right now.

She had almost turned down to the main corridor when she stopped and said, "Sesshoumaru-sama, did you know that the Wizard was only a man pretending to be more important than he really was? Just a scared, lonely man living in a world he knew nothing about and trying to find his place. Sometimes that seems so familiar."

With a bow, she was gone.

Sesshoumaru turned to Inuyasha, "You are to control your bitch better in the future. She is too valuable to place on a battle field, no matter how bored you get sitting around the Citadel." The sound of rustling silk denoted that the lord of the domain had left.

"She ain't my bitch. She's just mine to protect." His voice was sad and defeated, knowing that his Kagome had never truly existed. No, it had always been Kagome, human pinball for the Kami and Fate that he had known, and that he knew now.

+END+

AN: thank you for reading please review.

emmaren


	2. Chapter 2:Hush Little Baby

Chapter 2: Hush Little Baby

Sesshoumaru ponder the new quandary while gazing over his garden from the study. The scrolls on the low table behind his back seemed of little importance compared to the possibility of a shadow invasion.

The shadows had to be lead back to their lands; they were too strong of a threat to be over looked. The stupidity of the rebels was illustrated in the fact that they thought to use shadows. The problem with this idea was you do not control the shadows any more than one could control the phases of the moon. Yes, there was predictability to them, but no control. There was no good way to kill a shadow, the best one could do was trap it in the light.

Shadows were not trusted beings banished long ago, in the time of his great-grandfather's reign to a remote northern island. Shadows were a despised breed, simply because of how they fed. It was the evil and the blackness of one's soul that provided the shadow their nourishment. There were very few who survived the shadows' feeding, and none known to be sane afterwards.

The victims forced to live in the moments of their deepest regrets continuously for days, weeks, even months at a time. Usually the feeding stopped when the victim died, for those that survived it was after their spirit broke. All feared shadows, for no one seemed to be immune to their feedings. When written about nothing good was ever in reference to them, but one note he had read from one of his great grandsire's scribes, was that for all the pain they caused they did not take more victims then necessary to survive.

If the truth were known about the Great Banishment, then it would be common knowledge that it was more of a truce in relocation between the shadows and the West. Once his great grandsire discovered that the shadows were not power hungry, he devised a plan that would benefit both his domain and the shadows. In actually, all of Japan benefited from his efforts but his focus was only the success of the West. Through careful manipulation of the bottom feeders of society, he managed to breadcrumb the shadows to their remote island.

The problem now was accumulating enough breadcrumbs to lead the shadows back to their millennia old home. How many would be sacrificed this time to ensure the shadows stayed on course? What of the light that the miko spoke of that denied them entrance to their home? Well on the bright side, he 

had an easy way of deposing of the remaining rebel forces. The irony did not escape his humorless mood, that the rebels' greatest weapon would be used against them in the end.

Sesshoumaru's head started to ache. The rebels had been an annoyance ever since his sire's interaction with Izayoi became known. The problems that rebels caused for Sesshoumaru went a long way towards fueling the animosity that he felt for his half-breed brother. Now that the two were beginning to corporate with each other, the rebels were becoming much bolder in their defiance.

For all the added problems that his truce with Inuyasha had caused him over the last six years, he would not deny the benefits. While he and his brother only shared the blood bond of their shared father, their mighty father's blood was incredibly powerful. Inuyasha believed that all within the West saw him only as a dirty hanyo, which simply was not true. He was seen as the second son of the Great Inu no Taisho. It was in Inuyasha that the true proof of the power of their father's blood could be seen. His right to claim the position of second son was acknowledged because he had passed the trials set before him. He had survived on his own from early childhood. Not only that, but he had master his father's fang with more control than even the Great Inu no Taisho had.

There was only one in the west who viewed Inuyasha as a dirty hanyo, and that individual caused Sesshoumaru the most irritation. Mother, for all her pomp and self-importance, was just a has-been bitch. A small growl escaped the lord's throat as he was reminded that it was frowned upon to banish one's mother without just cause. If plots to take Inuyasha's life after Sesshoumaru declared the boy his to kill could have been connected back to her, then Sesshoumaru would have been rid of the bitch centuries ago. Too bad it was from her that he had inherited his intellect, the bitch's was beyond devious. No, his father was not stupid, far from it, but compared to his mother, his father looked liked a drooling idiot. Her intellect and her beauty had been the reasons that his father had claimed her as breeder.

A cruel smile played on his lips as he thought of his mother's shame that a drawl human princess had succeeded in becoming mate, where she had failed. Mother had tried in the past two centuries to rewrite history so that she was known as mate, not Izayoi. It had not work very well, but few would publically correct her. It was known that her reprimands for such a correction were beyond vicious.

'Maybe mother could be employed in the second banishing of the shadow. No, there would be too much of a mess to clean up afterwards. For all her brilliance, she does not let the complications of ruling 

play into her calculations. This Sesshoumaru could have hoped for the reprieve, but cannot take it at the expense of his domain. Curse you father for not dealing with her before your death.'

His thoughts were suddenly cut short as a scent surround him. A light rapping at the door informed him that this time she was not just aimless walking the halls. Re-schooling his features so that he had the proper stoic façade, he would allow entrance.

"Enter." She slid the shoji screen open, taking three steps in, and then immediately prostrating herself on the floor. This development in her behavior was most unnerving. This was the one person he had never expected to see in this position; the more bizarre part was that she was being completely sincere in her actions.

"My lord, I apologize for this intrusion upon your time however, the matter is somewhat urgent. " All was spoken into the floor; she had not received permission to rise. He was not use to her not looking him in the eyes when she spoke. He did not appreciate this kind of respect from her. It reminded him too much of the games his mother played.

"Hn."

"They grow restless. They want to return home, but the light blocks the path. I believe the path can be darkened, but they cannot remember the way. Too many places are lit anymore. They do not want to remain where they are despised; however, they refuse to die. They were tortured by light until they were too weak to refuse those that would use them as tools in a war that is not theirs to fight. They have endured and survived all this, and will not have it end in their extinction. They do not ask for mercy for their crimes against the west. Punishment will be accepted, for they know that they should have been stronger, smarter, and many others things that would have avoided their current situation. Death is not punishment. Death will make the war theirs. This is not a threat, nor is a demand, but a simple statement of understanding."

Her voice was once again hollow. This was not her speaking. The foolish miko was still holding the shadow. The urge to strike for her defiance and stupidity almost over powered his iron will. He was not allowed to strike those he swore to protect without just cause.

"Miko. This Sesshoumaru told you to put the shadow down." His irritation was breaking into his voice. Really if he had known how much trouble she would be, he would have turned his brother away.

"My lord, forgive me. Nevertheless, my reason for defiance still stands. The young one is easier to hold onto than to catch." She finally looked up at him from her subjugated position on the floor. For the first time in five months, she sought eye contact. "The Kagome that once fell through a well long ago gave into to the peace of nothingness. I am all that remains in this shell. The real danger my lord, is not the shadow. It is I, the one who is losing control, fading into madness." Her eyes began to plead with him to understand that she still had things that must be done. "I know of the promise you gave Inuyasha on my behalf. I absolve you now of that duty. He had no claim to me that allowed him to beseech you for my protection."

He rose swiftly, in the blink of an eye was towering above her still kneeling form. "You, WENCH, will never dictate to this Sesshoumaru about his duty. You have no idea what honor and duty are, your feeble mortal mind is incapable of understanding those two things."

She never flinched, never faltered in her gaze. He smelt salt and noticed the one tear trialing down her cheek. She did not move to wipe it; instead, the shadow braved the light to caress away the miko's weakness.

"Hai, my lord. I have no understanding of duty, honor, or sacrifice. This wench before you is nothing above the mud on your boots." She had a steady voice through all of this. Never once did her voice betray her souls anguish. He tried to will himself to believe what the voice was telling him and not the eyes. "This wench knows she has over stepped her bounds, however she also knows the price to be paid if she does not leave the Citadel. Once this wench loses her control, only one within these walls will be safe. And no, Sesshoumaru-sama, it will not be you."

He had her up and pinned to the shelves contain scrolls before she finished the word you. His eyes were now tingeing pink around the rims.

"Wench, you dare threaten this Sesshoumaru." He hissed the words between his growls and snarls.

His hand not clenched tight around her frail little neck, began to drip poison on the ancient hardwood floors. His mind was swirling with murderous thoughts about the one who dared to insult his honor, and then threaten him, after he promised to protect her, all while in _his_ own home.

"My lord, it was not a threat, merely a poorly worded warning. This wench's feeble mortal mind did not understand the implication of stating it in such a manor. It appears that the only thing that this wench is accomplished in; is failure."

He knew that she was not speaking out of spite or defiance; this was true self-flagellation. Nothing he thought he knew of this girl was making any sense with how she was behaving. The only thing that was clear was that she knew something about the situation that he did not. That was unacceptable, no mere human would know more about his domains safety than him.

"Explain."

"The wish was not mine, but the curse burns me. I have fought to contain the fires, my lord. I am failing. Those here do not deserve the punishment for my inadequacies. Please."

"The wish?" He was going to incapacitate Inuyasha for at least a week. How dare his moronic half brother seek his protection for someone without telling him all the reasons why that individual would need it?

As though she was privy to his internal dialogue, "None knew of Naraku's wish. My failure shamed me so, that I did not want to tell. I failed to stop him in time. The Shikon no Tama will never be pure." Under her breath, she whispered her thoughts aloud. "Though by its nature it was never pure to begin with, if it was ever truly purified then it would cease to exist."

"The Shikon was destroyed on the same battlefield as Naraku." What secret has she hidden from them all? This little slip of a girl that had never been able to lie without being caught, had hidden an object of such calamity as the Shikon no Tama?

"I failed."

"You test this Sesshoumaru's patience."

"I beg forgiveness. It was not destroyed, but absorbed. However, for some reason I do not think all of it was absorbed. It burns now more than it ever has before. I tried to learn how to control, but none could help. It I had been better I would not have allowed the darkest from my heart to enter my soul. I beg for forgiveness I do not deserve. I failed."

Her broken voice was not the shadow trying to gain control. It was not a ploy most would use in order to gain sympathy. She did not know how to gain anything anymore. For so long all she has known is shame and loss, too long since anyone told her of worth. Too long she has fought the voice in her head tempts to give into the bliss of madness. The unforgiving amber anchored her to her remaining duty.

"Midoriko lost her battle. I was to slow to learn, to move, to act, to protect that which was mine to keep safe. I hope that I never learn how many I have failed. That hope is quickly fading, for he whispers their names, shares their woes. Nothing makes it stop, wake or sleep he is always there…or rather here." She stared at him with lifeless eyes, raising her hands to her head. Her fingers jerked back from her temples as if they had been burned.

The shadow skittered out from her clothing, across his hand that was still clenching her neck. The shadow disappeared into the tresses of her hair. Its tiny hands stretched how to rub smoothing circles on the miko's temples. He became aware of what could only be described as a cooing sound emanating from the miko's hair.

For the first time in his long life, he believed that his senses had misled him to an incorrect conclusion. That noise could not be coming from the shadow. Shadows never vocalized. In fact, it was near impossible to hear them even breath. The haunting screams that were associated will shadows, originated from their victims, not them.

His reflexively released her neck, his whole body jerked away from her. He did not quit understand the danger she was speaking of, but that the shadow deemed her worth to speak to was enough to have his 

heckles raising. His inner beast was rampaging back and forth within his inner confines to eradicate the threat to him and that, which was his.

Kagome's body had not been prepared to support its own weight. So when the outside assistance was removed, she clasped in a heap on the floor. The blackness the shadow was casting around her was so nice. The voice was having a hard time breaking through shadow created fog; the fire did not seem to burn as hot. Yet the most spectacular thing about the black was the numbness that was encasing her body. Yes, she had made the correct choice. The shadows would not be destroyed by her. Even if she never woke from this black, the shadows would protect their unending food source. The only thing left to do was to convince her current protector that he need not be her protector anymore. She started to see him through the haze. By his eyes it would seem that this finally task should not be hard at all. The problem was that Kagome forgot that if it was her task it could never be simple.

"You will not leave." He turned, walking to his sitting cushion, and sat staring at his garden once more.

Kagome's heart clenched. She failed again. The shadow stopped her cooing sound to start humming a haunting tune.

AN: Please tell me what you think. Thanks for reading.

Emily


	3. Chapter 3: Burning Bridges

Disclaimer: I don't own inuyasha or Wizard of Oz.

Chap.3: Burning Bridges

Sesshoumaru was quickly replaying everything he knew about the girl crumpled before him. There had to be some detail that he previously accounted for as being insignificant. How he had let this fester so long under his nose, he did not know. Wait that would be a lie. He wanted nothing to do with the wench before him; she was a headache that could revival his mother. The only reason he begrudgingly agreed to protect her was his brother. His brother had offered not just a truce, but also all out submission to Sesshoumaru as alpha of all inu.

Inuyasha's submission was vital in being able to finally, demolish the rebel threat. With the second son of Inu no Taisho submitting to the domain of the West, the sibling rivalry could no longer be used to fuel the rebels' cause.

When his father has taken a ningen as a mate, uproar was heard across the lands. All knew that discord would be the only thing left for the general's house. So the question became, how could inu yokai be considered strong when the fore most house is divided within itself? There were those that believed it to be it to be impossible. Thus, they united and rebelled against the house of the moon.

While his father constantly fought against them to regain the stability to his domain, it became clear the Izayoi was with pup. Shame hung on all inu for to their top house a hanyo was to be born. Then shame became heavier as Izayoi was stolen from the Citadel. All within the walls ignored her pleas for help; her mate was off defending his domain from outside threat, Ryuukotsusei. Sesshoumaru was defending the domain from minor thieves to the south.

He held no respect or love for his sire's mate, but his honor would not have allowed her to fall into enemy hands. No matter how inadequate he thought, she was for the honor of Western Lady, which was her title. Punishable by death, not to protect her, as all within the walls of the citadel learned that night. Only ones spared that night's massacre were the wet nurses and the pups.

After he had disposed of those who failed to protect their Lady, he searched to inform his sire. His father was livid. In his rage, the great general did not realize quit how devastating his wounds were. His only thought was to safe his mate and unborn pup.

Sesshoumaru refused to join his quest. He could not leave the pups unprotected any longer. Many had died that night in the name of the Western Lady, his father just one of them. The choice he made that night saved the pups at the citadel from death at the hands of dragons looking to avenge Ryuukotsusei.

Staring at his father's back, he was not even allowed to look at his face one last time before he rushed to his death.

"Have you someone to protect?" The question ripped at his honor and pride. Yet the worst blow was not dealt to his honor and pride, but to the image, he had built of his father. How had his father forgotten that he had not one, but many to protect? His father not seeing that his own selfish actions and choices left so many to fend for themselves. Had mother truly been that terrible?

Well the answer to that was yes. She had been the one that ensured his sire could not claim an inu as mate. Mother believed that she was the only one deserving of the title. She had been the one to bare a strong heir and daughter. In her mind, these were reason enough to displace any uppity bitch that tried to get close to her claim. She would not allow herself to be cast aside like some whore.

She dealt with the antics of the Great Inu no Taisho for over seven centuries, she believed him to be hers. Viciously set examples of the bitches that would warm his bed, there by leaving hers cold. When she realized that, he would not be returning to her any time soon, she left him with only the choice of human filth to sate his needs. She thought herself ingenious, for no self-respecting yokai, let alone a tiayokai, would form a lasting bond with a human.

Sesshoumaru almost laughed when he remembered the look on his mother's face when she learned the extent to which his father would go to free himself of her. Oh, the old bitch had destroyed the southern and eastern gardens in her rage. His father would have allowed her to continue in the palace, but she dared to go after the sakura trees that were being planted as a mating gift for the new Lady.

Father sent her to island in the south, stating that she could not return until she had learned her place. When she began to protest, he stated that there were several whorehouses more than willing to take a troublesome breeder off his hands. She left. When the Western Lady was taken, no one could prove that she was connected.

Even though she was never proven involvement, Sesshoumaru still believed it prudent that Izayoi and Inuyasha leave the domain until the rebels could be exterminated. Izayoi life was hard because of her hanyo son, yet she could blame neither her son nor her deceased mate. She blamed Sesshoumaru, and infested Inuyasha's mind with how horrible he was. Any strife they faced was because Sesshoumaru did not know what honor was and turned them out in their hour of need.

Izayoi, her stupid, feeble mortal mind could not understand that while his mother bore him, he was not his mother's son. He would not put her or his brother above the need of those in his domain. She was a princess and expected all to bow down to her because of her birth-rite. She never understood how different ningen and yokai were in that respect. To yokai rank of birth made it easier to obtain one goals, but one still had to prove that they were worthy of what they held. It was not his fault that wealth he supplied her human family was put towards their comfort not hers.

Sesshoumaru believed that no further proof was needed of his brother's stupidity when the baka got himself pinned to a tree. The moron had been following around the Shikon miko like a lost puppy, and he could not foresee that there was no way for the ending to be anything but tragic. Some miko she turned out to be too. She allowed herself to be killed by a hanyo, after only watching the Shikon for two short years.

Glancing at the miko that was his current source of headaches, she was still bowed to the floor in front of the shelves of scrolls. Wondering why she had not left, he finally realized that shadow continued to try to soothe the miko. Truly, the scent of self-loathing was not at all pleasant when mixed with her natural scent.

She should smell of orange blossom and spring's late evening rain shower. The crispness of her scent resonating on the palate to hint at the power the little creature held. This had been the longest he had ever been in the same room with her. Her scent had now saturated the air, forcing him to learn it for all of its nuances.

The more he dissected it the more he wanted to growl in contentment. He could not find anything within it that annoyed him. No one's scent had been this calming, this intriguing, and dare he say enticing. Yes, now while he quietly reflecting of the current state of affairs, he would admit that her scent was enticing. Not surprising considering how many yokai with a sensitive olfactory wanted to be near her.

Yes, this infuriating woman-child might make one wish to strangle her every few minutes, but at least one did not feel the necessity to bath the stench off one's self. For a ningen, she smells amazing, better than even many yokai.

His head snapped in her direction. He sniffed the air again. It could not be. Rising he stalked over to where she was still kneeling.

"Stand."

She immediately complied, baring her neck to him. It had been one of the first protocols taught to her upon entry to the citadel. If any were to order her to stand before them, she needed also to bare her neck. This would help them understand that miko before them was not a threat; even the youngest of pups would understand the gesture.

Pleased at how much a natural motion it had become to her, he bent down. Placing his nose centimeters from the junction of her neck and shoulder, he inhaled deeply. Yes, it was there, or rather not there. Eyes narrowing needed to speak with Inuyasha, NOW.

"Follow." Stepping gracefully out of his study, he walked down the open hallway heading towards the training grounds. Inuyasha would be there to assess the effects this morning's battle had on their forces. She followed a respectful three steps behind, so none could even begin to assume he was following his father's lead.

H e had made it half to his destination, when a scent hit him that he would be more than happy not to smell again for another century or five. The aristocratic bitch rounded the corner, immediately bowing her head and baring her neck.

"Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Mother."

She raised her head, eyes focusing on the one behind him. "I see that he has finally found a use for you. Good the soldiers are in need of a good release after today's victory."

Kagome's head remained bowed, but aura flared at the insult to her virtue. "Breeder-sama, the soldier would more than likely find insult in their reward being a lowly ningen." Kagome straightened her posture and looked the bitch in the eye. A challenge was being issued. Sesshoumaru hoped the miko's biting tongue would make an appearance. If she could goad the elder inu into physically harming her, then Sesshoumaru could be free of the troublesome bitch. "Perhaps, one should be sent to them that has firsthand knowledge of carnal pleasures. No, breeder-sama, you are right…" Kagome's pause caused all to wonder what would come out how her mouth next. "…they would not appreciate an old bitch who refuses to learn new, or even decent, tricks."

There was eerie silence that fell over the hallway. Kagome's stance never wavered as the "old bitch" lunged at her. Sesshoumaru was still slightly in awe of the audacity of the miko's last statement, that he did not move in time to block his mother. Her claws were breaking the surface of the skin on her neck, when the shadow shot out from Kagome's hair, and attached to the bitch. To all that witnessed the display, the shocking thing was that shadow was not hiding from the light.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru was staring down at the sight of his crumpled mothers form on the ground.

Kagome rushed to pull the shadow off the demonness. Her tone was scold as she said; "Now little one if you don't have to hide from the light, then that means that one is too is to dark for one as young as yourself."

She then pushed the shadow within in clothing, bowing her head. Her neck was bared to him awaiting punishment for her role in the spectacle. He had not seen anyone put his mother so effectively in her place. She had never once used his mother's name, but rather her much despised title. He was sure if she had tried that tactic without him standing there, the miko would be missing a tongue. Finally, she had hinted at her lack of ability to please her bed partner. Oh, that was too good. The centuries his mother had endured those types of side comments from the other bitches of the domain who commonly believed that it was her inability in the bed, that failed to gain her the title she so desperately wanted.

He was not going to punish the miko for beating the uppity bitch at her own game. In fact, he respected her for being able to say to the bitch's face what so many only said in barely audible whispers. No, she had defended her pure virtue against one who had long since been lacking any form of virtue. She had brought pleasantness to a day that had been filled with anything but that.

Turning to the members of his mother's usual entourage, he ordered them to see to her care. She would have to dealt with for bring harm to that which was under his protection. He proceeded to the training grounds, miko three steps behind.

When he reached the field, he noticed with satisfaction that Inuyasha had ordered forms to be practiced, in order calm their minds from battle. All the soldiers had a since of apprehension about them. It was probably due to the fact that not more than an hour and half ago they were on a battlefield enclosed in shadow yokai.

Sesshoumaru noticed that the miko was humming the same haunting tune that shadow had used earlier to calm her. She walked passed Sesshoumaru and into the ranks. Almost every yokai that she passed had shadow skitter from him to her. When she finally returned to stand behind him with her head bowed, the tension that had been in the field before was gone.

Inuyasha came walking with a look of utter rage on face. Sesshoumaru had allowed her to gather those things. He knew how dangerous they were, and he let her collect them up as if they were wild flowers in some field.

"Sesshoumaru, how can you let her near those things?!" Kagome was impressed that he had refrained from cursing, but the drop of the honorific in front of the soldiers was dangerous. To Sesshoumaru's credit, he looked on at his brother with a bored expression.

"The failure here is the entrance of the shadows within the keep."

"Feh. I knew they were there, that is why the grounds have a ring around them. I am not as stupid has you assume. The soldiers were going through forms to clear their minds, making them less vulnerable to 

attack." Inuyasha's voice had lowered considerably. Half way through his speech, he turned his attention to Kagome. He side glanced to Sesshoumaru waiting for permission to approach her.

Sesshoumaru nodded his head to his brother, and then began to take a more detailed visual account of the soldiers. Inuyasha stepped in front of Kagome and began to chastise her.

"What were you thinking, stupid? Do you have any brains left in that head of yours? Those things are beyond dangerous. You have never faced an evil of their magnitude before." His voice was soft, but it grew in volume, as he did not get a response from her. "Wench, are you listening to me? How am I supposed to protect you, when you run off and do stupid things like this all the time? I am surprised that you have not been killed yet. First, your dumbass shows up at the battle this morning, and then you go skipping into the middle of it. Wench, who does that? A moron, that's who," she stood perfectly still, head bowed. She knew she deserved this for making her friend worry. "And what the fuck do ruby slippers have to do with anything? Wench, I swear, I don't see how you could possibly be the reincarnation of Kikyou."

Kagome's head shot up, eyes narrowing at him. He was right to yell at her for entering the battle when she was supposed to stay in the gardens. He was right, only a moron looses focus on the battlefield. She deserved to be reprimanded for that, never mind that she knew the shadow would come into play in this battle. Never mind that she knew the leader of the rebels would be making an appearance to gloat over his victory. Never mind that she had saved every western soldier on that battlefield. What she did not deserve was the comparison to the precious Kikyou.

No, she would never be as good as Kikyou. She was not dead and idealized in the hanyou's mind. She was just Kagome; okay maybe sometime she was wench. However, the point still stood that she was not Kikyou.

"Sit boy. Let the dead rest in peace." Her biting tone informed the hanyo then she would not be civil if he decided to pursue the current line of insults.

Inuyasha's ears flatten as he backed away from her. His shame and rage coming off him in waves, why did she have to point out that he had failed Kikyou twice. She knew how much it hurt him that he could not protect his first love from Naraku, not once but twice. He looked at Kagome and began to growl. 

How dare she, when he always came running to protect her? _Feh, see if I go after her next time she decides to run away._

Sesshoumaru took this time to intervene. He did not need them to show their antics in front of the soldiers. It would cause too many problems for Inuyasha, because the little miko always managed to get the better of him.

"Inuyasha, you tell this Sesshoumaru why the miko no longer has the scent of humanity."

"What?!" Inuyasha just gave an incredulous look to his brother, while the miko returned her head to the bowed position.

"My lord, he never noticed the change in scent."

Sesshoumaru ignored the miko's comment while he watched his brother step forward to inhale the miko's scent. "Kagome, when did your scent change?"

"Upon the death of Naraku. It is the reason I still stand before you."

Sesshoumaru noticed that he and Inuyasha were not the only ones taking interest in her responses. As he was about to open his mouth, he notice that the miko had placed a barrier around them.

"My apologies, Sesshoumaru-sama, but there the answer you seek few should hear."

"Miko, why do you no longer smell of decay?"

She laughed slightly. Sesshoumaru's eyebrow arched, "Is this a humorous subject?"

"No, my lord, I find it funny that the scent of humanity is equated to the stench of decay."

"Hn. Wench, you are avoiding this Sesshoumaru's question."

"It was the wish. Inuyasha before you start, the Shikon no Tama did not vanish, but was absorbed."

"Absorbed? What the hell are you talking about Kagome?"

"I failed to reach it in time to stop Naraku from making his wish. When he did, he managed to taint the jewel fully. Midoriko's soul lost the battle and destroyed. She held off the greatest evil known for well over a millennium, and all it took was one bumbling idiot girl from the future to destroy her soul."

"Kagome you are not making sense. If Midoriko's soul was destroyed then jewel should not exist anymore. Not to mention we shouldn't be standing here anymore."

"Inuyasha, please understand that I did not hide this from you to hurt you," her eyes pleading with him to remain silent while she finished her tale. Before she began to talk again, she closed her eyes so that she did not have to face the pain she was about to cause him. "Naraku's wish destroyed Midoriko's soul. Nevertheless, before Naraku could merge with the existing yokai's soul in the jewel, I purified his heart. Naraku used his last energy to stop me. When Sango tried to block the tentacle from my body, it pierced through where the jewel originated. The ring was complete, with the jewel in the center. I purified the ring Naraku and I created around the jewel, however I could not tighten it. Naraku's wish and connection with the yokai soul were transferred to me. My soul refused to leave my body. It knew that there would only be a stale mate inside the jewel itself, so the wish cast off my mortality. My body became the physical embodiment of the jewel, my mind, heart, and soul the new battle ground of the age-old war of the Shikon no Tama. It was only a day later that I began to understand."

"What the fuck? You're saying you're the jewel?"

"Yes and no. I cannot be used the same way the jewel could. I am not a bauble to be coveted. I am an incomplete Kagome."

"Miko, what do you mean by incomplete?"

"It was Kikyou's last betrayal." She opened her eyes, the tears shinning bright in them as she looking only at Inuyasha. "She never trusted that I could accomplish the duty she failed. She believed me less than her because I was never properly trained. When she died, she told me it was now my duty to ensure the jewel was purified and Naraku defeated. She set me up to fail. Inuyasha, that light we all saw after death, was her refusing to give back the piece of my soul. Yes, Inuyasha it was my soul. She had already died, further more she had already chosen death."

"Shut up, Kagome. Just shut up." His voice was tight, both others within the barrier could hear the barely contained rage.

"No, I've held my tongue too long. I have suffered because she was unable to walk the correct path. If fifty-eight years ago she had trusted you not to betray her, she would have lived. You would have never been sealed. She chose revenge over forgiveness. She failed her duty, but worst than that she tainted you."

The rage that Inuyasha was so desperate to contain boiled over. Grabbing Kagome by the shoulders allowing his claws to dig into her flesh, he leaned down so that his nose was a hair's width away from hers. "Bitch, you don't know nothing about. Why don't you keep you trap shut until you find a better use for it. I don't know why I ever bothered protecting something as weak and useless as you. It must been you reminded me of Kikyou. The only thing I regret is degrading her memory by comparing you to her. I am done!" He turned and walked away from her. The barrier she was holding up let him pass without any resistance.

Sesshoumaru watch the exchange between hanyo and miko. By her scent, he knew that the miko was not deceiving his younger sibling, but it was the determination that seemed out of place. He began to suspect her goal when she purposely angered Inuyasha to the point of lashing out. What she said to the hanyo right before Inuyasha passed through the barrier.

"I release you, Inuyasha. Live…for yourself."

Sesshoumaru knew she was planning something that she did not want the hanyo to responsible. Curious.

"Miko, what was the wish?"

"To be the most powerful being of all. I fight the yokai soul within me for the right to carry out that wish within this body." She turned from the spot where Inuyasha was last visible, to Sesshoumaru. For the first time he noticed the ring silver around the outside of the sapphire colored irises. "I am loosing. Kikyou left me without a complete soul. It is much easier to tempt something that is already mourning the loss of a piece of itself. She did not mean for this to happen, she had no way of knowing. It is hard to see beyond yourself, especially when death is looming…

"He says that I don't know but I do. I know more than any one person ever should. The yokai soul, at first thought that I was weak and could easily be over powered. It was right in a way, but never managed to get complete control. The training I received at the southern shrine helped. I learned how to maintain control of the ki within me. Therefore, my enemy changed tactics. Every taint within this world that the Shikon no tama was connected with I have been forced to experience.

"I never knew rage could be tasted on the tongue, hate so blinding, despair so drowning, regret so suffocating, fear so paralyzing, and love so treacherous. I never knew. I never wanted to. My heart is heavy with the sins of those I never met. My soul is tainted with my own sins that I failed to guard against. I have lost. It is only a matter of time.

"My lord, the price of your domains unity was my protection. It was not a fair price. I am nothing. No one would think ill if sent a lowly ningen out to fend for her own, when she committed such egregious actions against your mother, when she betrayed the trust of her first protector. I am nothing.

"Please my lord, let me walk the path that allows me to become the nothing I am. Let me lead the banished home. Let me become the source of nourishment that ensures they will never stray from that home again. Please my lord, do not protect the damned."

His eyes were tingeing red as he asked, "What happens when the yokai changes tactics again? What will stop it when it gains control of your body, when nothing but shadows around?"

"He is what they were created to devour. Midoriko did not believe, so she failed. I have the faith that will end this struggle."

He did not look at her as she begged to take care of his problems. He did not care for the logic of her words. No, she was saying he was not strong enough to protect her. She was telling him to forsake his honor for the easy path. She was denying that he was her alpha. She was denying him. She had no faith in him, he who had proven himself for over nine hundred years.

The bitch would learn her place. She would learn what it meant to have the protection of an alpha. She would learn what it means to insult the honor of that alpha.

"Bitch, know your place. It is below this Sesshoumaru. You never beg your alpha to go back on his honor. For your transgression against this Sesshoumaru, your life is now mine."

She dropped the barrier and walked away. Floating back to him was her voice, "I am no dog. I have no alpha."

The silence on the training grounds was deafening. He lunged at her from behind. His claws cut all the way through the back of her kimono, leaving four angry claw marks on her back. She fell forward onto to her hands and knees from the force of the attack. Before she realized she had changed positions she was render immobile by him. He had force her head down to the ground pinning her neck beneath one foot. Both her wrists were grasped tightly in one hand, her arms perpendicular to ground. He had crossed her legs at the ankles, then holding them in place by smashing the ankles with his other foot. His free hand allowed his poison to drip from his claws inches from her face.

"Submit."

"No."

His acid formed, striking her bare back. "Submit!!"

"I cannot."

He stuck again. "I am ALPHA! SUBMIT!"

She never cried out in pain. She could feel it, but she could not let him win this. He had to be given a way to redeem his honor when she left. With all the courage she had she said, "I am human."

The snarl was feral; causing the on looking soldiers to retreat quit a distance. The miko was as good as dead. Hoping she lasted long enough to sate their lord's rage so that none of them would fall this day.

Sesshoumaru began to feel the shadows trying to defend their prize. Flaring his jaki, he was not sure how many he could take before it would be a pointless battle. However, he would not back down with the miko. She had to submit.

Alarms went off in his senses as he felt the rising holy powers. She was beginning to glow a soft pink.

'Is the bitch stupid enough to test her powers against this Sesshoumaru? She is in no position to fight. Fine if she wishes for her education to be taught strictly through, then I will oblige.'

He was preparing to viciously reminded her of her inferior position with his acid whip, when a sharp whine from his inner beast gave him reason to pause. Usually the beast snarled and growled its approval whenever his civil side decided to education opposition through pain and death. Now it wanted no part of it.

Sesshoumaru study her rising holy powers more closely. She was not challenging him with her power, merely encasing the shadow so that they did not influence the outcome of this duel. Therefore, she was now placing him as the protectee, not protector.

She whimpered, "I don't understand." The powers focused around her hands started to swirl with a dark purplish black color. The taint was beginning to affect her use her powers. If she was tainted this much, then time was of the essence. "What must I do? I don't understand." Her whimpering made her sound like a young pup that had lost its parents.

His rage stilled instantly upon the hearing of her making those noises. Really, the girl was too stubborn for her own good. "Miko, submit to this Sesshoumaru as your alpha."

She whimpered again. She did not have the instincts to understand what it meant to give someone the alpha status over you. She knew that path ahead was going to be a difficult one, but was hers. She had earned the right to walk it because of her failures. Fine, she accepted that. What she did have a clue about is how an alpha would play into the scheme of things.

She could not. "My burdens are mine."

"Miko, if you don't submit then this Sesshoumaru will be forced to prove his superior status through other means."

That did not sound good. It also sounded very public. No, public demonstration never went well for her in past, and there was no reason to believe that this time would break the trend. For the first time in five years, she felt powerless. With one last whimper, she sealed his fate.

"I submit my alpha."

AN: Please review, it makes me giddy. Thank you for reading


	4. Chapter 4: And So It Begins

centerChapter 4: And so it Begins/center

It had been two days since the start of the journey north. The group consisted of an inu tai-youkai, three fire elementals, two other inu youkai, and finally a human miko. Well she was not really a human, but miko was still an accurate term.

It had taken Sesshoumaru just over a half a day to secure his domain. Inuyasha was to remain behind as regent, Jaken his advisor.

Mother had woken shortly after the incident on the training grounds demanding the miko's head. When she tried to obtain her own justice, the shadows made their presence known. The problem was that more than the soldiers were in witness of this event. Mother rapidly was gaining the sway she needed to justify her early attack.

centeribFlash back/b/i/center

Things were rapidly spiraling out of control. She was ranting about how the kuro miko, the dark priestess, would bring them all to ruin. Sesshoumaru was limited in how he could respond because the one leveling the charges was his mother. Damn societal rules, and damn his father for not killing the bitch when he had a chance.

Surprisingly it was Inuyasha who had stomped out the flames. He had reappeared when he understood the reasons behind Kagome's words. She was still trying to protect him from the flaws of Kikyou. Kagome had always understood his need to place Kikyou on a pedestal.

"You dare, bitch, to question your alpha? You dare to call for harm of one that your alpha has stated is to be protected? Do you wish to find yourself outside of your alpha's protection?"

Sesshoumaru watched as his mother bristled at the words coming from the talking reminder of her own failure. He could see her trudge forward in her righteous fury. "I am the mother of the Lord."

"Feh. You are the breeder of the previous lord, AND you were cast off when he found another he desired as mate. You are nothing."

"And what are you, ihanyou/i?"

Sesshoumaru was done; he had things that needed to be taken care of. With a loud snarl that brought the attention of all, Sesshoumaru decreed. "He is the second son of the Great Inu no Taisho. He is Regent to this domain. You would do well heed the advice of not angering your betters, _mother_." Sesshoumaru turned to enter the complex. "Inuyasha, come. Miko, follow."

All three entered the complex, the two sons of Inu no Taisho side by side, and the miko three steps behind.

centeribEnd Flashback/b/i/center

Inuyasha had been reluctant to stay behind, but finally understood that both he and Sesshoumaru could not go. Since the traveling party would have to travel into another lord's domain, it made more sense for Sesshoumaru to go being the more diplomatic of the two.

The fire elementals had been chosen as precautionary measure, should Kagome lose control of the shadows; at least there was a chance to contain them. While all three had been loyal to the west since the beginning of his father's reign, none accepted their duty without hesitation. They could not deny their lord's summons, but no sane youkai would be thrilled about the idea of accompanying the shadows back to the forbidden island. To make matters worse, they were to look after a powerful miko. No, this situation screamed disaster.

The two inu youkai soldiers were there because they had volunteered. Kuro saw this as an excellent opportunity to prove himself in the eyes of his lord. He was an ambitious young soldier that did not want to wait for his advancement. If there was a mission to volunteer for, he was always at the front requesting the honor. He was not greedy; he just had no other option. His father had loved many females, siring many offspring. Kuro was determined to rise above his parentage.

Tadashi volunteered because of the miko herself. He had been behind the leader of the rebels when she released the wave of purification. As the burn started to engulf him, he believed himself dead. His only thought was of regret for not being able to make amends with his brother. Suddenly the burning ceased, and as the though the miko herself recognized him, she was there telling him to close out his mind. Curiosity got the better of him, so he did not follow the direction completely, the pain and anguish that he felt coming from the little miko made his heart ache for her. He wondered why she was exposing the enemy to this torture, and then he understood that it was only way for her draw the shadow within her light. He swore then, that he would find a way to become her personal guard. He had never met one in more need of finding forgiveness.

Sesshoumaru headed the traveling party, the miko walked in the middle, the three elementals taking up positions to enclose her in the center of them, and the inu guards following up in the rear of the group.

Two days of traveling at the human's pace. This journey was going to take forever and Sesshoumaru had not found a good source to take his boredom out on. He had never thought he would miss arduous task of maintaining the paperwork of his domain. Forward he walked into the slowly changing scenery of the countryside.

The miko was singing again, and again she was insisting on doing it in a language he had never heard. He was amazed that she was using a language he had never heard of before. By the way she struggled with some of the words it was obviously not her native tongue. He was listening more closely now. A language seemed to be a combination of several different ones he had encountered in his travels of youth.

This was really becoming tiresome. The miko harbored more secrets than the whole of Japan. He had never been clear on her origins. When the matter was pressed, Inuyasha just replied that she could no longer return to her home; neither could anyone else ever travel to it. He was beginning to question why he agreed to the protection of this miko when he knew so little about her personally. Well if he was to be honest with himself, he did not care about the details. She was beneath him. At the time, he was willing to offer his protection for the remaining thirty to forty remaining years of her life in order to secure his domain. He really should have pressed Inuyasha for more answers.

Her voice was pleasant; well actually, it was very soothing. However, the tune she was singing seemed to be rather dark. The song annoyed him more than anything did. The melody depressed him, and he was worried if it was, having this kind affect on him then what was it doing to the others. Focusing on 

the others of the traveling group, he noticed the elementals were extremely edgy. One guard, Kuro he believed, was tense and nervous, and as his swept over the other guard, Sesshoumaru's step almost faltered. Why was this guard exuding signs of curiousness and fascination?

Tadashi had been studying the miko the entire journey. One of the first things he noticed was that she did not smell right for a human. Apparently, this miko had figured out a way to avoid death. It was probably not easily accomplished. The more he watched her and the little interaction she was allowed with the group, he was confused as to why a miko would seek out immortality. Her soul was so obviously tortured by life.

Then he was trying to understand how this little slip of a girl managed to control the shadow. Never had anyone been able to stay in direct contact with them and not fall prey. That is why so many from the West were lost during the great banishment so many millennia ago. He serious doubted that all miko could accomplish this feat.

Tadashi had not encountered very many humans in his life. Those that he had seen promptly ran screaming in the other direction, or stood frozen in place while they defecated on themselves. He had not been very impressed with the species as a whole. They were weak, brittle, died from far too many things, and seemed incredibly stupid. Intellectually he knew that at least some of them had to have some intelligence for their current way of living. It was the humans, not youkai that began cultivating the earth. It made sense; they were far too vulnerable to be roaming the constantly the land constantly searching for food.

As annoying as humans were, there was still the fact that they occupied the lower youkai's attention. That was a pleasant side effect of their existence. Their ordor was not, but at least this one smelled very nice. She was also powerful enough that it was laced into her scent. Even most youkai never reached that level of power.

The more he watched her, the more he realized that she did not want the power; she did not accept it. It seemed as if it had been forced upon her and she could barely contain it within her small body. Instinct told him to run from this pile of fireworks left carelessly too close to the fire. He trusted his instincts, but he also knew that as long as he was not provoked he was not a slave to them. His breeding did not allow him absolute control over his instincts, but his mind and beast both recognized that this little miko would not take those around her down. She would fight with everything she had to ensure her companions' safety.

It finally struck him that this miko knew nothing of instinct, for if she did then she surely would not be willing to sacrifice herself for those she had just met. The main drive of instincts was to ensure survival. No, she did not seem to care for own survival. The second factor was procreation. As far as Tadashi could determine the miko had never taken steps towards those ends.

He smelled no male mixed with her scent. It was not a fool proof method of determining if a female had ever lain with a male, but the male's scent would stay mixed with the female's scent for years. That was true for youkai, however he did not know if it would be for a human.

Yet, there were still other signs to point to innocence. The first night she had a pleasant dream that caused her scent to spike with arousal, it was to the point where even the elementals were made aware of it. Their lord was aware of the attention she was drawing to herself. Displaying his displeasure with the other males, he snarled loud enough to wake the cause of the problem. Once she had oriented herself, her eyes fell on the lord. She instantly knew that all in the group were very aware of what she had dreamed. Immediately she whimpered in embarrassment, tucking further in on herself. The smell of her arousal was replaced with the smell of her embarrassment and fear. Tadashi had been around enough to realize her reaction was common for a female that had very limited experience with males.

She was interesting. She was old for a human not to have been chased after by males. Maybe she had not been because she was a miko. He did not understand the social rules of the humans, whatever the reason, he was very sure she was still pure.

Kagome changed to another song, pulling Tadashi out of his quest to discover her sexual activity history. Again, it was a tune filled with anguish and pain, and again it was not in a language any recognized. Kagome was something of a savant when it came to music. She only had to hear it once to be able to duplicate it. It was a talent that her mother did not notice, not until just after her father died. Kagome was glad because her ability was not exploited. It just developed naturally.

The singing was to help her control the shadows. There were so many of them and they were so hungry. She had promised that they would have all they needed as soon as their home was reached. Trust, however, was not a concept that the shadows had any understanding of, especially since she had admitted to her role in their current situation. Her admission was best. There was no way she would have been able to hide it. There were just so many of them. Moreover, damn, they enjoyed talking to one outside of their kind.

She needed the silence so bad. She needed to maintain her center in order to ensure she did not corrupt herself further. She needed so many things that she would never get. The longing was building again. She needed to be stronger. She needed to focus on something other than her own selfish desires.

Fate, apparently, decided not to be a bitch today. Kagome stopped walking, a true smile gracing her features. Sending her gratitude towards the Kami and fate, although she still wanted to have a throw down with fate, she was now finding hope again.

She focused on the tai youkai standing in front of her. "My lord, I have a purpose beyond that hill."

"Hn."

"Please, my lord," her smiling face began to falter.

"Miko, your duty is the banished."

"Yes, my lord. However, at this rate, that duty is doomed to fail. Beyond that hill is a means to success."

Sesshoumaru focused his sense in the direction she indicated. There was a minor skirmish going on between a family of fox youkai and spider youkai. It was rare for spiders to cooperate with each other, but it occurred their opponents stood little chance. The foxes were all but wiped out. The one remaining was a kit, though he was putting up a valiant effort, he would lose. Dawning occurred in Sesshoumaru's mind as he realized why she would want to get involved.

"That kit is not him. The one you remember is long since dead."

She recoiled from his words, "I know my own failures my lord. I also know I cannot walk away. I am asking my alpha to allow me to be whom and what I am."

Sesshoumaru gathered by her stance that there was something she was not telling him. Her needing to hide things from him was truly aggravating. "This Sesshoumaru knows you are a miko. A miko does not interfere in between youkai and their affairs. If the kit is meant to survive then it will on its own strength."

Her anger was rising. The arrogant dog in front of her would deny her the right to serve her purpose. "This iwench/i is not a miko by any meaning that is known today. She has a purpose beyond that hill. If she fails in doing said purpose then she will fail in her current journey." He was not taking her words or attitude well. She knew she would have to be the one to bend, averting her eyes to the forest floor, baring her neck in submission. "Please, my lord. The shadows need to eat. There are too many for me to control the feeding off myself. Besides, banded spiders are a threat to all."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru began walking in the direction he knew the battle was occurring.

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It did not take long to come to where the spiders were circling around the scared kit. Sesshoumaru was wondering when he had become so soft as to allow an annoying miko to dictate where he would go. While he was still deep within this contemplation, the miko moved past him.

The kit was fighting for all of his worth, but it was obvious he was about to collapse from exhaustion. Kagome stood in the shaded area right before her companions. Luck was on her side: all she traveled with as well as the kit were standing in light.

Dropping the barrier that she was using to ensure that the shadows stayed with her, she allowed all of them to rush at the unsuspecting prey. Those behind her knew the importance of staying within the light; it was the kit's possible reaction that worried her. He was too young to understand that what was now on the battlefield was only held at bay by the light.

Once the spiders erupted into eerie screams, the kit stood dumbfounded for a moment. As he realized that the spiders were no longer a threat, he began to register the presence of high-level youkai nearby. He was not strong enough to defend himself from this kind of enemy. Run.

Run. The miko bolted towards the kit when she knew that he was going to try to flee the area. Barely reaching him before he crossed to the shadows, she pulled him back by his clothes, instantly regretting the choice of harboring him close to her body. Tiny claws and fangs tore into the skin of her chest and throat.

"They will no longer hurt you, little one. You are safe."

Her powers were on the rise to heal her own wounds. The proximity that the kit was to her allowed her healing powers to wash over him as well. The warmth that wrapped around the orphaned kit made him nuzzle in closer to its source. Kagome knew that he would listen to her warning.

"Kit, you must not go to the shadows. Right now a fate awaits there that would serve no justice for one so young."

She moved to set the kit down, but his whimpers gave her pause. She smiled at his small face. No, he was not the one she had lost.

"I unleashed those in the dark now. I only go to undo what I have done. All will be fine."

No, he was not the one she had lost, had failed to protect. No, he was not hers to claim. No, she could not guarantee his safety if she offered him a place. No, it would not be smart to add a small kit amongst so many strong predators. Yet above all, there was one thing. NO, she could not walk away from one so desperately in need.

Sesshoumaru wanted to roll his eyes as she took off to save the kit. He felt the urge to laugh when he saw the kit attack her; needed to groan when the kit snuggled into the miko, thereby showing he accepted her as his new protector. He itched to destroy something with her promise of the kit's safety, 

and almost snarled his denial when he saw the determination in her eyes. Finally, he gained a newfound respect for his brother for not killing the wench years ago, when he realized that kit was following their traveling party.

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Two hours later found the group near the northern border making camp for the evening. Kagome had just disappeared into the brush to catch her dinner. When she had finished setting up camp so that she would be comfortable for the night, she began her dinner. The first night Kagome had offered to share what she had prepared with all, but the only one to accept any hospitality was Tadashi.

Turning to the brush, the miko was seen emerging with three rabbits. Humming softly, she sat down next to the fire and began to prepare the animals. One was put over the fire, one placed in front of Tadashi, and the other was placed on the edge of the camp closest to where the kit's aura could be felt.

Sesshoumaru had watched all her movements like a hawk, feeling the urge to throttle the girl since she should not be meddling in things she did not understand. An orphaned kit should seek out other fox youkai with the hopes that they would offer shelter and guidance.

"Miko, you will cease your encouragement of the kit."

"My lord, I can no more ignore one in need then I can re-grow an arm."

"DO NOT TRY MY PATIENCE."

"My lord this is not about you."

Towering over her, he said, "The kit is either strong enough to survive or not."

"Rin was not, my lord."

Growling, he replied, "Rin was worthy."

"My lord, the kit has already proven his worth. When there was no chance of winning, he still fought. He follow this group, all of which could deliver his death, even though he may be in danger. The kit is worthy. The kit is strong, though young. But most of all the kit is not the one I failed."

Sesshoumaru hated this girl for being right. The kit would not be a problem; he had already proven his ability to keep up, his ability to fight, and his ability of knowing when to hold fast. Damn her for being right. No, he would not turn the kit away. The miko, however, needed to be corrected for going against her superior.

What to do to her that would not be demeaning to his person, yet still prove his power over her? "The kit may stay, however no longer may you disappear from the sight of this Sesshoumaru or the guards. In addition, the kit is your responsibility. This Sesshoumaru wishes not to hear your voice for the next two days."

She bared her neck, after nodding her head to his request. He moved back to his place by the tree. She resumed her work by the fire. The kit emerged next to the rabbit; and he looked around at all the beings before him. Kagome made eye contact with the little one, reassuring him that it was safe to proceed.

That night Kagome slept by herself, having made a separate bed for the kit to lie in. She was not going to repeat past mistakes. There would be no coddling of this little one; this one would learn to depend on only his strength.

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	5. Chapter 5: To Proposition

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to Nekette for beta-ing

centeruChapter 5: To Proposition/center/u

Sesshoumaru decided that he would order the miko to be quiet more often. The silence was very enjoyable. She had no way to endanger the tentative truce with the north. His favorite by far was when she would try and physically act out what she wanted. Really, who would have guessed that hopping from one foot to the other while making a funny face meant one needed to relieve oneself? Yes, he made sure all would play dumb to see how far she would go to communicate her needs.

He admitted that this had been one of the most entertaining travels that he had been on ever. That was saying a lot, considering that he had traveled for over 600 years of his life. The truly amazing thing was that not all of her gestures were common to humans of this region, or, well any region he had been to. At one point he had tallied up all the civilizations he had encountered, he stopped somewhere in the eight hundreds. He realized the futility of counting them, because humans tended to have a knack for overthrowing civilizations.

There was no point in trying to understand why humans were self-destructive creatures; there was an entertaining miko to watch. Currently she was trying to get someone to accompany her to the stream. He never knew that the human face could turn such a vibrate shade of red. Was that actually steam coming out of her ears? She had not even made a grunting noise, but if Kuro did not give in then he would most likely end up purified.

Kagome huffed and turn away from the infuriating dog. Oh, she knew they were all playing dumb when it came to her attempts at communication. Even the kit had noticed the fun and joined in. The little turn coat. It would not be so bad if she could take care of her own needs, but the arrogant dog had ensured that she could not. She would love to collar the dog. He would look better with dirt smeared all over him.

Her anger was fading along with the light from the sun. She had played this role long enough, and damn it she wanted tea. Walking until she was a foot in front of the great lord, she lowered her body into a full bow.

Speaking to the ground, "My lord, may I please have an escort to the stream?"

"Miko, this Sesshoumaru told you he did not wish to hear your voice for two days."

"It has been two days. Your statement was made at sunset two days ago. May I please go get some water, my lord?"

"Wench for your insolence, you will remain silent until this Sesshoumaru informs you otherwise." Really why would he allow her to speak when she was so entertaining mute?

The only acknowledgement she gave to his decree was silence. She knew that he would not force any other to take her on her requested errand. Cursing all those around her, she scoured the campsite for four suitable sticks. She fastened them together with thin strips of leather. Then she proceeded to stretch one of her smaller hides over the frame. She secured it so that was taut.

The others in the party watched her, wondering what she hoped to accomplish by these antics. Such determination in her set task, that she was not noticing their blatant staring. Finally, they began to understand as she put several small sticks in the fire only letting one side burn.

She pulled them all out, blowing out the fire on each and letting them cool slightly. Taking the charred end of the stick to the hide, she wrote out something and presented it to Tadashi. He looked at for a while and then an odd light came into his eyes.

"Miko, I am sorry but I cannot read." Tadashi was impressed with his bold-faced lie. Really, he wanted to see how she would deal with this next obstacle.

'iOh yeah, play dumb you silver-eyed freak. I am going to bleach streaks into your brown hair. Why do I always have to get stuck with dogs?/i' Then, she realized that the game would not be nearly as fun if she were the only one being insulted.

The next message was placed in front of Kuro:

iA youkai of your standing would not let a mere ningen accomplish something you have not. Please, I just want to get some water. /i

Laughing at the tactic that the miko was imploring, he tossed the hide board to Tadashi. Kuro motioned 

the miko to follow him. Quickly scurrying after the youkai, she turned her head to stick her tongue out at the less than helpful one.

Sighing Tadashi placed the board down by the miko's things. "That one does not understand that she is female."

Sesshoumaru would have snorted his agreement if the action were not so below his station. The miko came back almost skipping. Her mood had been greatly improved when she discovered a berry bush that still bore fruit this late in the season. She had decided that she could play their jester if her reward would be her favorite berries.

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Damn, if the girl was not inventive. She could use the board to convey her every need. She used the pride of her traveling companions to her advantage as well. Now, none would deny her what she asked for, because none wanted to see her institute her retribution.

All they had to do was remember a determined miko, bound to silence, teach Tadashi how to read. He had lasted a half an hour of her lesson before he recanted his former claim to illiteracy. Kagome then proceeded to write something that both found humorous, after which all ill will was swept aside.

The elementals had been harder for her to corral, but seemed to gain respect for her shortly after the arrival of the kit. Then on the third night of her forced silence, Kagome won the elementals.

The kit had been eager in his want to help his new provider, so much so that he burned her when trying to start her fire for dinner. Horrified that he was now going to find himself all alone in the world again, he went running off into the brush. Kagome followed her natural maternal instinct to run off after him. Short moments later both reappeared with the miko trying to rub soothing circles on the kit's back while carrying him. Her hands were charred and blistered; they needed to be taken care. However, the miko did not notice this fact, she saw a child in need.

Taking her board and kit, she marched up in front of the elementals, insisting on their help. Scoffing, turning away, Hikaru was stopped when the miko's now bloody hands pulled the front of his armor to face her. She furiously scribbled out another message. Hikaru raised a brow out her.

"You admit, miko, which have no way of helping him yourself?" She nodded vigorously. "You admit that you are inferior?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously at him, but then she turned to the kit and nodded her head again. "You would put an orphaned kit, that you don't even know his name, before your own pride?" With this, she kneeled down, placing her damaged hands on the ground forming a triangle.

Her bow was in complete reverence to one that had treated her with nothing but contempt. All this was done for a kit she had taken in three days ago. Hikaru turned his violet eyes from the subjugated miko, to the kit.

"Kit, your name."

"Yuichi."

"Come, Yuichi, you need to learn to control that fox fire."

The magenta haired elemental lead the orange haired kit away from the camp, it was the first time that Kagome had taken any real noticed of Hikaru's features. She decided that his features were far too rough to allow his eye and hair colors to make him look feminine. Yes, she was stalling. Her hands hurt and she did not want to face Sesshoumaru. However, Kagome had learned the hard way what it meant to ignore one's responsibilities, she would not make him wait any more.

Walking to his side of the camp, she knelt down before him. Hands folded neatly in her lap, eyes and head cast towards the ground, her neck bent to bare it before her alpha. She had ignored one of his orders, although she believed it was for a good reason, she must submit to whatever punishment he deemed necessary.

"Miko, tend to your hands first. The smell offends this Sesshoumaru."

Kagome retreated from him to comply with his wish as fast as possible.

Sesshoumaru had watched the whole scene and was had hard time containing his rage. Was the bitch stupid? Did she not know that she had offered herself to Hikaru? First, she runs off without an escort, and then she touches another male. Not just touches, but also acknowledges that he can have a claim on her body without consent from her alpha. Was the bitch looking to get beat? Is trading favors how she survived so long outside of the protection of his brother? He would deal with her, and then he 

would deal with the damn elemental that corralled her into the offering. Finally, he would figure out why he cared so much. Why did he have to be responsible for all the insufferable bitches?

After she had bandaged her hands, Kagome resumed her position in front of tai-youkai. He rose quickly and cast one word her way.

"Follow."

She gulped. Going to a secluded area with an angry Sesshoumaru did not hold much promise for her health. Oh, he was mad; she could barely keep up with his pace. Finally, after a half an hour of walking he stopped turned around and backhanded her. Kagome fell hard to the forest floor. She was too stunned at the moment to feel the pain from the blow.

The whole way from the camp all Sesshoumaru could think about was how she offered herself with such ease. It had infuriated him to the point making his blood boil. Beast and master were both in accordance that the bitch must be held accountable.

"Miko, are you a whore?"

She could think straight. Why would he ask that question? She was so confused. Sesshoumaru on the other hand took her silence as affirmation.

"Whore, you will answer this Sesshoumaru when he questions you."

"I don't understand. How does my running after a frighten kit make me a whore?"

"You will not play obtuse. You know very well that you offered yourself to the elemental. What other payment would you have for his aid?"

"He will request payment? I offered no such payment."

Ignoring her comment, he pressed the issue that was truly bothering him. "The ease, with which you offered yourself to him, makes this Sesshoumaru believe you have done so several times before. Again, this Sesshoumaru wishes to know if you are a whore, so he can treat you accordingly."  


Now all her confusion slipped away, to be replaced by a rush of anger. He questioned her virtue. "I have never offered anyone those kinds of favors." She spit through clenched teeth.

"You just did. You offered yourself to that male without any hesitation or reference to your alpha."

She was on her feet glowing pink swirling with a dark blackish purple in an instant. Her face was as close she could get it to his. "I don't know what having an alpha means. I am human. I do not have instincts that guide me. What you saw back there was me refusing to allow another under my protection to fall because I am too stubborn to learn from the past."

He was growling at her audacity. Kagome was unaware, too lost in pain of a memory as she turned her back on him. She was pinned to the ground beneath him, his hand placed between her shoulder blades while her hands were trapped under her chest.

"You think me so weak that you can turn your back on me?" The hand wrapped in her hair jerked her head backwards.

"No, my lord. You do not understand because you never failed Rin. Shippo died because I refused to admit that I needed help in raising him. He never learned the things he should have because I did not understand them myself. I understand the world as a ningen would, for youkai that is a fatal mistake. Those under my protection will learn how to live in the world, if they need help with something I cannot teach them, then I will find a teacher that can."

Pulling her hair harder, "Bitch, you will refer to alpha for guidance."

Surely, not all humans were this stupid? No, Rin had understood to come to him. Rin had trusted totally in his protection and guidance. OH, he wished that Mother was giving Inuyasha as hard of a time as this annoying miko was giving him.

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Inuyasha was amazed that she had not been killed before. Sesshoumaru did not have this much patience. The conniving bitch was trying to get him assassinated.

Ok, he could not prove it, but he would have been able to if she had not killed all those that could connect her. Yet again, he could not prove it was her killing them. How were there any left in the western domain with this bitch scheming for the past thousand years or so?

He was so gonna kick fluffy's ass when the pompous dog returned.

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"Sesshoumaru-sama, you already made it clear that you wanted nothing to do with Yuichi."

Did Inuyasha teach her nothing of pack? Even most humans understood hierarchies of this level. Did the girl not have a father?

"Miko, you claim me as your alpha?"

The silence was deafening. She did not want to say it again. She did not understand what it meant. Why could not arrogant dogs be a little more forth coming with information?

He yanked her hair some more. "Yes, I did." Her voice was straining under the pain of the position she was in.

"This Sesshoumaru allowed you to offer the kit protection?"

"Yes."

"You are under this Sesshoumaru's protection?"

"Yes."

"Then is it so hard for you to understand that the kit is now under the protection of this Sesshoumaru as well?"

He would do that? Why? She just could not understand this pack stuff. She wished that Inuyasha had never found her. If he had not then she would be quietly talking to herself in the deep woods somewhere. She would be avoiding all others in the world. Solitude seemed like a very nice option right now considering the pissed off tai-youkai pining her to the ground.

She heard the growling above, then remembered she had not answered him. Huh. It was not as if he was the one in the uncomfortable arrangement.

"I do not presume to know what you will and will not protect. My memory still holds the feeling of someone's poison claws trying to melt me. Yet here I am being reprimanded for unintentionally impugning my own virtue. My lord this inferior human is incapable of being able to guess Sesshoumaru-sama's motives, and thought it would be insulting if I tried."

She was going to test his control beyond the limits of even the Kami. Leaning over and nipped her ear harshly. Her response was a startled cry, followed by a glowing miko.

Pulling her hair so hard that her back practically snapped in half, the miko immediately stopped glowing to start whimpering. Sesshoumaru had wrapped his fangs around her now exposed throat. He would not let the warning go so lightly, the minutest amount of pressure brought her blood into his mouth.

Immediately dropping her to ground, Sesshoumaru had to force himself away from the slumping body. Her blood had flowed more smoothly than any sake, with the slow burn that slid down his throat. Damn she was a confounding bitch. Even in a position of complete submission, she finds a way to be still defiant. There had never been a challenge quite like her.

Inuyasha was not going to be able to walk for month upon his return

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When they returned to camp with a much bloodier miko than departed, he order her silence again. He also ordered that all her reasonable requests be carried out. His mood was slightly improved it was discovered that Hikaru was trying to ensure that he would not be purified for the type of training the kit would be put through. Hikaru wanted to make sure that she was turning over complete responsibility of training to him.

As they continued north to the island, Sesshoumaru began reflecting on his life. He was trying to discover at least one thing that was as enigmatic as the miko. She would submit yet at the same time challenge. She was intelligent and did the most moronic things. She was female but thought it her place to stand next to, not behind, a male.

Her origins were still a mystery. Which was probably good for the people who lived there, he could not harm her, but he would relish the ability to ensure that no more of her were produced. He supposed he could force her to tell him but that would involve talking to her.

The question of what society decides to educate their common women was a puzzling one. He had never heard of it before, and his knowledge extended beyond the continent.

Sesshoumaru had been born in the reign of his great-grandsire. While he was not alive for the great banishment, in his youth there had still been a few shadow that needed to gathered and banished. The First banishment, while thought to be one big to trail, had actually taken close to 1200 years to accomplish.

It had been Sesshoumaru's close proximity to his sire's age that forced Sesshoumaru to spend centuries on his own, traveling foreign lands. His father was only about a hundred and fifty years older than he was. Most of his kind waited until at least five to eight hundred years before siring progeny. This would allow the older inu to establish dominance. The other thing it allowed for was the search for a proper mate.

His grandsire had died a premature death when his father was still in his youth. His great-grandsire did not want to see his empire fall, so pressured his father to sire an heir as soon as possible. Introduce Mother, the breeder from hell, and now there was not only an heir but also an heir for the heir.

Around Sesshoumaru's 100th year, his great-grandsire died in battle. His father was young to take control of the clan and domain. Having not truly had a chance to prove himself, his father felt it was best to remove the closest rival, Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru was sent to discover the world beyond the continent on his own. If he survived then that would be his test. Sesshoumaru knew that he could have just settled down just outside of his father's reach and awaited his time of return. He did not. He was bitter about his situation in life, but also saw the great opportunity to learn different fighting styles. He was positive that upon his return he could challenge his father and win. His success would be ensured by the wealth of knowledge that only he 

would have access.

Sesshoumaru wandered through the continent, its southern jungles and eastern deserts, a great mountain range beyond. The humans of each area began to take on different appearances, the building techniques differed, the fighting styles differed, the knowledge differed, and the further west he went the less yokai and human interacted. He began to wonder if this was sign of things to come. While many of the advances humans did not come up with, they manipulated and improved on these ideas.

It took one intelligent human every generation or so to improve the society as a whole. He also noticed that fewer humans interacted with the youkai of the region, the less entrenched in traditions the society was.

His complete dislike of humanity as a whole began with the fair-skinned humans of the far west. Their great society had fallen not more than a few centuries before, yet they wallowed in darkness and filth. Judgment being passed that all that refued to adhere to their beliefs were to be exiled, beaten into submission, or put to death. He passed through their lands as fast as possible, killing as many as possible.

That was his early adulthood. While his father stayed on familiar ground waging battle after battle to build his name and honor, Sesshoumaru was alone. His father found glory in the eyes of the clan. Sesshoumaru learned to sleep with one eye open. His father was loved and cherished, while he was all but forgotten. Upon his return, he heard the whispers that he should have stayed to fight by his father's side. What son did not fight by his father? The son left when he was told to leave.

For all his father's great conquests, Sesshoumaru realized that he accomplished something none in their clan could claim. He survived over six centuries by himself in foreign lands without the support of a pack. Inuyasha was the closest, but Inuyasha's was a self-imposed purgatory. Sesshoumaru left dutifully and upon his return was ridiculed for his abandonment.

Upon the end of this trip down memory lane Sesshoumaru concluded that he really did not like either of his parents. He looked at the one that helped all these thoughts come to the surface. Her eyes looked in his direction for a moment.

Her eye color. It more than likely pointed to the fact that somewhere in her ancestry there was mixed blood with those of the far west. Now that was interesting, since the humans here barely knew of those on the continent.

Well, she was now immortal and his responsibility. If it really bothered him so much then he would simple force the information out of her. Besides, he needed something to look forward to during his down times.

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AN: Please review. Thank you for reading.

Emily


	6. Chapter 6: Island of the Damned

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ. /b

AN: Thank you to SleepChickenNugget, Nekkette, ktshabatie for beta-ing

Warning: There is a fair amount of character death in this chapter. There is also a nonconsensual sex scene. It is not violent but would still be considered rape.

centeruChapter 6: Island of the Damned/u/center

Finally, they reached the coastline opposite the forbidden island. Everything was good; well, maybe that would be the wrong word to use. The biggest disaster of the trip was the stray kit they had managed to pick up.

The question now: How do they cross the body of water in front of them?

"We shouldn't cross until a few hours before dawn."

Tadashi was surprised it was the miko that made the suggestion. His curiosity was piqued, "Why?"

"That way the light from the sun will keep the beach lit for the longest amount time. It will ensure enough time for all to retreat."

"Miko, you were not given permission to speak."

Kagome bowed her head in response. She had much that she would like to say to that son of bitch. None of which was kind. First on her list would be telling him where he could shove the status of being alpha. Oh, she desperately wanted to tell him that his pelt made his sexuality questionable. There were so many things that would never be said, so many things that should never be said. Such thoughts were her curse.

She was cranky, tired, and running out of time. Why had dogs decided to take over her life? She was fully capable of failing on her own. Oh well, she would have years to understand past transgressions. Now was not the time to think of them. Her mind focused on her happy memories and all of the things that she vainly hoped would be on the other side of purgatory.

The camp was unusually quiet that night. Sesshoumaru blamed the miko for the ominous mood. She had not focused on anyone since ensuring that the kit had food. Even if it were not her fault, he would blame her anyway. Why not? She was the lowest rank among them being human. Wait…she was not really human anymore... No matter; it did not change the fact that she had been human once.

Tadashi and Kuro were sent to procure a boat for tomorrow's task. It was going to be a few long hours waiting to embark on a journey that would set Sesshoumaru's achievements at the same level of as his great-grandsire. Sesshoumaru suddenly returned his focus to the miko once more. Greatness swirled around the girl; she just needed those who were stronger than her in order to bestow the glory on herself and all who stood with her.

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The sun found the entire traveling party staring up at the sharp cliffs facing the beach. Directly in front of the miko was a cave that would provide enough darkness for the shadows to wait out the day. The golden orb had finally climbed just above the horizon. It was time.

Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru and whispered so softly that he barely heard her, "Keep them safe." She strode to the cave.

Turning to face the sun one last time, a ghost of a smile flitted across her face as the warmth penetrated her features. Turning, she disappeared into the cave.

The smile gave her away. Sesshoumaru realized that she was not talking about the traveling party, but the kit and his brother. She was not planning on returning. He felt his beast surge forth. She was his. He had already claimed her life. How dare she think she could take it back?

Growling, Sesshoumaru shot forward to the cave, the others close on his heels. No one expected Kagome to be down on all fours, back arched, and breathing hard.

His growling increased in intensity, "Miko you will cease this now."

She made no move to recognize that anything had changed around her. In fact, he was sure that she had no sense of what was around her at all.

'She is ignoring her alpha's call. The bitch never truly recognized this Sesshoumaru as her alpha. There will be no end to the pain the half breed will feel upon my return.'

His honor, his pride demanded that he protect the bitch; the problem was, as she did not recognize his call, he could think of only one way that would enable him to forge the bond quickly. On the positive side, his beast was more than willing to place the bitch beneath him. That would mean that he would not have to be completely involved. Good.

Once he reached out and touched the miko, a new connection was forged. He was in her darkness, seeing it through her eyes.

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Kagome's world was crumbling. Pain radiated through her shoulder. She had just fired her last arrow. Now she was no good to anyone. Her only task had been to reach the center of the battlefield. She had failed.

Why had she not bothered to go through at least some training? She knew why she did not. She was selfish. She wanted to spend as much time with her best friend as possible, and training would have only taken away from that.

This was the price of her selfishness. Two beings that never should have been on the field were now trying to help reach her destination.

As Kagome screamed at Shippo and Kohaku to get away, blue foxfire exploded around them. Naraku was still not above including the low-level demons in his battles. As the blaze died down time stopped, there staring back at her, were Shippo's lifeless eyes peering out from the mouth of one the serpents.

This was Byakuya. _HE_ was trying to confuse her in the middle of battle.

It was only an illusion.

'No.'

It was an illusion.

'No.'

They were fighting the good fight. Good always won.

'No.'

Children were not sacrificed. He is her son.

'No.'

He is her heart, her home. It was an illusion.

Hiraikotsu ripped through her delusion, shredding any hope still left in her heart. The only move Kagome made was to catch the head as it fell.

"KAGOME, you have to go!"

She tightened her hold, pulling the head closer to her chest.

"KAGOME, NOW!"

Tears began to blur her vision. She had failed.

"Kagome, don't let his death be in vain."

Spoken softly, quietly from right beside her, she looked up at Kohaku. She saw it. The Jewel was tainted, would be almost impossible to purify with the pain she was feeling now. So how were they to win? Onigumo's heart.

It was beating within Kohaku. That was why Kikyou had saved him instead of the light that remained within the shard. Kikyou was punishing her for being so terribly weak and stupid.

"You knew, didn't you?" He was still looking at her.

"Hai." It was a whisper. He looked back at his sister, and then returned his gaze to Kagome, "We must get closer."

Kagome finally grasped the only thing that she could do for him, "I will not let you suffer. What burdens your soul is now mine to carry. You will know peace."

Her glowing hand reached up and touched the tips of her fingers to his forehead. A smile brightened his face; his eyes held no more anguish. "Thank you. Now we have to go."

Placing Shippo's head down, both took off towards thing known as Naraku, with Sango close on their heels.

Naraku had noticed the movement of the little miko. She knew. His weakness had been exposed. The time was now. He would become stronger than the Kami themselves.

Kagome raised a sharp bone high above her head. As her arm came crashing down on her target, Sango screamed for her to stop. Naraku sent a tentacle to remove the troublesome miko from this plane of existence.

The bone pierced through Kohaku's ribcage, impaling the heart cradled within. Sango's body barreled into Kagome's body causing the tentacle to pierce through the exact same spot that had once held the Shikon no Tama. Blood was trailing from Kagome's mouth down to her chin.

Sango immediately moved to her brother. "Kohaku, you cannot die." Tears rimming in her eyes, she pulled the bone from his chest. His death would be much faster now, unknowingly sped up by his sister's action.

"Ane, be happy." He closed his eyes for the last time.

Sango's rage and hatred burned within her. All that malice was visible as she pinned the pathetic excuse for a miko with her eyes. "You are worthy of nothing."

"I'm sorry."

"DO NOT LIE. You are nothing but a treacherous bitch! All this time, your weaknesses have held us back. We would have won long ago if you had been more like Kikyou. Pathetic copy. There is no level of hell deep enough for the likes of you."

Sango raised her katana, ready to strike Kagome down. It was time to avenge her village, her brother, and her honor. For three years, this deceiving bitch had fooled her with false friendship. No more!

The air thickened with miasma. Naraku was dead, but his webs still had victims trapped within. Kagome knew that Sango would not live after inhaling this much poison. Her death was already looming, confirmed by the choking and coughing noises.

Sango slumped where she once stood, her eyes no longer able to see. Someone was approaching her.

Kagome softly spoke to her sister of heart, "Sango, give me your hate. Do not take it with you in death. Please leave it with me. Let it punish me."

"No. You will not find absolution from me, deceiver." With that, Sango's lifeless body fell over, draping across that of her younger brother.

Kagome heard a strange laugh in the back of her mind. Whispers skittered across the blackness that was enveloping her. "This betrayal will be fun for years."

Kagome went cold and numb. She had failed them all. Naraku was dead, but the Shikon no Tama was still in existence. Kagome knew she could not be the one to destroy it. She had failed them all.

As she finally fell completely into the dark abyss, her last thoughts yearned for a home that she could no longer return to.

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Sesshoumaru's vision returned to the cave inhabited by the shadows. Almost no time had passed. She was fading faster. If he did not bind her soon, she would be fated to a life of only those types of memories.

He would not allow one under his protection to fall victim to such a fate. His honor demanded that he save her. There was no other way.

He had removed his armor and his hakama were already loosened. Kneeling behind her, he swept aside the tattered remains of her clothing. She was exposed to him. The sight of her on her hands and knees helped though not enough. His body reacted in the necessary way due to the beast's need to dominate this female in front of him.

(Nonconsensual begins)

If you want to read this part and you are old enough, it can be found on . My penname there is emmaren, and it is the same title.

(Nonconsensual ends)

She curled into a tiny ball. One shadow pushed through his jaki and into the miko's hair. Sesshoumaru recognized the aura as that of the child that had been with her since after the battle with the rebels. It seemed as if it was trying to comfort her.

After adjusting his armor, he went to the miko and fished the shadow out of her hair. When exposed the shadow passed a message that held no malice, "She and little one need me."

He did recognize that this shadow had done no harm to the miko, only attacking those who threaten her. One shadow would be easy enough to contain.

Decision made, he picked up the miko and cradled her to his chest. There was not enough left of her clothing to cover her, so he wrapped his pelt around her. This would protect her from the elements as well as prying eyes.

Pausing, he realized that his instincts to protect her were becoming even stronger. It was not just her life he was protecting, but also all aspects of her, including her modesty. He was not looking forward to the moment when she regained enough composure to speak.

This trip had been very eventful. His heir would be hanyou, bore from his half brother's wench. Between Inuyasha, the miko, and his mother, Sesshoumaru was sure he was going to long for deafness.

It was time to leave the island of the damned.

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AN: Thank you for reading. Please review.

Emily


	7. Chapter 7: To Blacken a Heart

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to SleepingChickenNugget and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

Warning: Character death.

centeruChapter 7: To Blacken a Heart/u/center

It had been close to a week and a half since Sesshoumaru had last been in the Western Citadel. In others words, it had taken entirely too long to make the trip to the island. If he pushed, the entire party could reach the Citadel by the sunset of the following day. Their return trip needed to be accomplished with as much haste as possible.

The miko was in what appeared to be a catatonic state; with any luck, she would remain that way until they reached their destination.

His instincts were also forcing him to become far more protective of her than he wanted anyone seeing. This was proven when he nearly decapitated the kit for coming too close. In the kit's defense, he had no idea what occurred in the cave. Tadashi had led the kit out as soon as it was apparent what his lord was going to do in order to bind the miko. The kit was attempting to understand the change in his new protector's scent.

It was this reaction that caused Sesshoumaru to realize that he had waited far too long to produce offspring, if his baser self was telling him that a kit was a threat to his bitch. NO! Not bitch, breeder. That was her title until the pup was born. After that, he would figure it out.

He could not sell her into the servitude of one of the establishments. A youkai establishment would not take a filthy human whore, and a human establishment would kill her if they ever discovered she gave birth to a hanyou.

She was his until he found an honorable way to get rid of her.

iInuyasha/i. The malice associated with that name made the deepest ring of hell seem like a nice vacation spot. That hanyou was lucky he had proven himself worthy; otherwise, his older brother would truly be his executioner.

He needed more information on the one who would bare his heir. Damn, he hated societal rules. She was the first to carry his seed; therefore, it was her honor to bare him a male pup. If this one were not male, then he would shave his head and join a monastery. No, even better, he would go visit those barbarians of the far west for another six hundred years. Unfortunately, the miko would still be alive upon his return.

The same haunting tune that the shadow had sung in his study was starting up again. The miko stared up at him with listless eyes.

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She was climbing out of the well again. The musky smell was never as strong as when she first returned from the past. There was a strange itch under her skin; the closer she got to the mouth of the well, the stronger the itch.

Sighing, Kagome opened the well house door. Home lay just across the courtyard, and she was going home, even if it was only for a few days.

This was not right. Why would her mother decorate the entire shrine grounds in yellow streamers? There were even more streamers as she came into the house.

"Mama? I'm back."

Stillness.

"Mama?" She slipped off her shoes as she made her way past the kitchen to the living room.

Silence.

"Souta?"

The ticking of the grandfather clock.

"Grandpa? I brought back some things that you could sell in the gift shop."

The soft padding of her feet was the only sound as she turned and headed back to the kitchen.

"Ma-"

Those weren't yellow streamers in the courtyard. That wasn't spilled wine on the kitchen floor. This wasn't some horrible nightmare. Her chest was in too much pain. She bolted for the stairs.

Checking every room, she finally returned to the kitchen. There were only two outlines, not three.

"Souta…." It was a ghost of a whisper.

She moved towards the phone. "Souta…." Fumbling blindly, she picked it up, "I'll find you, Souta." Hearing the dial tone, she realized she had no clue who she should call.

"Who are you?"

Kagome spun around only to come face to face with a middle-aged man. Maybe he was not middle-aged, but he looked old and tired.

"Hig-Higurashi Kagome, sir."

His face tightened slightly, then pinned her with his eyes. "Where have you been for the last sixteen hours?"

Nothing, no great alibi came to mind. "The well?"

His face softened slightly. "You've been hiding in the well the entire time? Why didn't you come out when the police arrived?"

She looked at the kitchen floor and whimpered. They were gone. Home was gone. Souta….

She looked up at him with a crazed, frantic look that both surprised and disturbed him. "Souta. Where is Souta? I have to find him. He has to be alright." She rushed across the room to grab the investigator by the hands, "Where is Souta? Souta has to be alright."

"He is fine. He is down at the station waiting for your aunt and uncle to pick him up. Come on, I'll take you there myself."

She nervously twitched and fidgeted the whole way there. When they arrived, he placed her in a quiet room by herself. She waited patiently just like she was told to. The itching had turned into a numbness she noted absently. She wondered if this was how Sango felt. No, Sango lost a whole village, not just her immediate family.

"Higurashi?"

"Hai."

"Before we let you see your brother, there are some questions we need to ask you."

"O-okay."

"What were you doing in the well house?"

"Looking for Buyo."

"Who is Buyo?"

"The fat family cat."

"What do you remember?"

"I heard the commotion outside. Then I heard what sounded like a gunshot, followed by a scream. I was scared so I jumped down into the well. I must have hit my head or something because the next thing I remember was waking up, only to finding the house covered in yellow streamers."

The investigator was quickly writing down everything she said. He should know better than to give someone time to come up with a story.

"Higurashi, were you aware of the financial situation of the shrine?"

"No. Everything was fine. I mean money was always a little tight but it had been that way since my father died."

"No. A little over two and half years ago the shrine started showing financial strain, bills not being paid in full, on time, etcetera. The government was going to step in. Apparently, your grandfather was fighting it because one of the stipulations was that the old dried up well be removed, making room for a large garden. Hm. Do you have any relatives that are well off? Financially, I mean."

She shook her head in the negative. "Why?"

"There was a large influx of cash about three months ago. We are trying to figure out if it has anything to do with the murders. To tell you honestly, this has the Yakuza written all over it. If it was them, you should be careful. They might try to get you to pay off the debt. There are many things that a pretty young woman can be coerced into doing." He rose and left her alone in the room once more again.

Kagome's heart clenched more painfully than it ever had before. She was the cause of her family's death. She couldn't face Souta, knowing that he had to stand alone in this world. If only she had been less selfish. It was inexcusable for her not to realize that the shrine could not withstand the financial burden of supplying a traveling party across the Japanese countryside. In addition, they could not apply for financial help.

Oh Kami-sama, her grandfather could not go to the government because of the well. She was a horrible daughter. She had brought nothing but shame and strife to her family. Kagome was so lost in her inner turmoil that she did not notice the door open.

"O-oneechan?"

Her tear streaked face turned to him. He knew she was blaming herself, and it was not right.

"Souta, I am so sorry."

"Kagome, I want to go home."

There was no more 'home'. "The shrine is no longer ours. Souta…" There was no way she could look at him and say this. "I have to go back."

"No. No, you don't! Your place is ihere/i, with biME/b/i!" His breathing started to calm. "Please. I can't lose you, too."

He was right, but she had a duty that had already claimed her grandfather and mother. She had to finish it. "I must. With Kikyou dead, there is no one left but me. I am sorry, but I have to." Pulling him in a tight hug, she whispered to him, "Souta, be happy. You will live and have a family of your own, but always remember ihonor/i."

She left him alone in that room, weeping. There was nothing to be done about it. She was not coming back. By the time they beat Naraku, there would be no well left in this era.

Kagome had always known that the day would come when she would not be coming back. The key to the well was not only the jewel; it was the jewel and the rosary around Inuyasha's neck. She was unable to remove it in her timeline. That was when she realized that, if she wanted to ensure his safety she would have to remove it in the past. The only problem was that she would then be trapped there, in the past.

In her mind, she never glorified what would happen. There would be no proverbial 'happy ending' for herself and Inuyasha. Now she could only hope that someday, Souta would forgive her.

She boarded the bus to her house, making a mental list of all the things that she would need to take to the past. Tears streamed down her face as she prayed that she was strong enough to complete this duty, all the while silently doubting this was the last of her pain.

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Inuyasha came running into the clearing followed by Sango, Miroku, and Shippo. Shaking her head, she just walked over to him and pulled the rosary from his neck. She dropped it into the well, where it was transported beyond anyone's reach.

"Wha… Kagome?"

"There's no place like home." Whispering into the abyss that was the Bone Eater's Well, she dried her face before turning to her friends. "I will not be going back anymore."

"Of course not, stupid. You threw the rosary into the well. Did your brains leak out or something? Hey, wench, don't you walk away from me! Kagome, I'm talkin' to you. Kagome!" Inuyasha's face was matching his Fire Rat robe as his ire rose.

Kagome had already started towards the village. Kohaku met her at the edge of the clearing, and when their eyes connected he instantly pulled her into a strong embrace. Kagome absently noted how much he had grown in the last year and a half.

"It is not your fault. The thing to do now is live remembering the good times."

Only Inuyasha heard Kohaku's whispered message. The gears began to grind and he finally understood what had greeted Kagome on the other side. Why didn't he go with her this time? He was supposed to be her protector.

"Kagome." Inuyasha was standing right behind her. She turned and burrowed into his chest.

The sobs that she had denied herself since seeing the blood on the kitchen floor broke through. Absently, she wondered how it was possible to be numb and pained at the same time. If it was a gift from the Kami, they could take it and shove it.

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One week. It had been one week, and no one had any clue what had happened on the other side of the well. Inuyasha was cursing any one that came within shouting distance of him. Miroku had taken up watching the once spitfire of a woman wander through the darkness of her mind. Sango decided that Kohaku did not need to see her wallowing, so she took her younger brother out into the forest to improve his skills as a trapper. Shippo just wanted to be as close to Kagome as he could get, so he remained snuggled into the crook of her neck or on her lap.

Kagome woke in the middle of the night of the new moon. That would be nice because she wanted to say goodbye without a hanyou breathing down her neck. Stealthily, she slipped from the hut, and then followed the dark path to the Goshinboku.

Kneeling in the mass of knotted roots, she pressed her forehead to the back of her hands. Kagome's hands clapped three times and she sent her prayer for forgiveness to the Kami, bowing there before the scared tree. It was a prayer that would go unanswered, for the Kami never grant forgiveness to those who cannot absolve themselves first.

The weight of what she had done to her younger brother was drowning her beneath the depths of guilt. If she had been smarter, stronger, just a bit better, then Souta would not have the responsibility of burying their mother and grandfather alone. Tears did nothing to relieve the pressure in her chest. If she did not find a light in the darkness soon, she would undoubtedly fail at the duty she put before her brother.

"Mama, please guide him to happiness."

The air around her changed and she was no longer alone. Looking over to her left, there was Sango kneeling beside her. Kagome knew that Sango had been upset when she refused to answer any questions about what happened. The anger and betrayal was still swirling in Sango's aura. Well, now was the time to disappoint her friends. Kagome moved to stand, but was stopped when Sango's hand grasped firmly onto her arm.

"Kagome, what happened over there? What happened to you?"

"Not yet-"

Sango's anger rose as she cut her younger sister off. "You iwill/i tell me binow/i/b!"

Sighing, Kagome looked the other girl in the eyes, "I will tell you all at the same time. Please understand, I don't think that I am strong enough to tell it more than once."

Sango nodded sharply; she was tired of Kagome keeping secrets.

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Miroku had stopped both Inuyasha and Shippo from following Kagome. He knew that she was close to letting them back in. However, if she did not find closure with whatever happened, then no one would be able to help.

An hour after Kagome's departure, Kohaku walked in the hut. Nodding his head, he sat and focused his eyes on the door. It took only a few more minutes for Sango to enter, Kagome following.

Kagome sat and made eye contact with each of them. Her head shook negatively as Shippo tried to approach her. She knew it was her time to stand judgment, and she had to stand on her own. So, she began her tale of what occurred beyond the well, her throat almost closing in on itself when she explained how much of the burden of their fate rested on her shoulders. When she was done, she finally allowed her eyes focus on the only family she had left.

It took Shippo less than a second to barrel across the hut and into her arms. He had to sooth her pain. He knew the pain of losing a parent because you were not strong enough to help them. Kagome did not let him face that pain alone. No, Kagome would not face it alone either. Kagome started to feel the pressure lessen.

"So you left him there on his own?" Sango's voice cut through the silence. She had not meant it to sound so harsh, but it angered her that Kagome was here getting their sympathy while she abandoned her brother on the other side.

"Hai."

"Did you even ithink/i about what that would do to him?" Her anger was rising again. 'Does the girl not even feel remorse for her actions?'

"Hai."

"How? How could you do such a thing?" Sango began to feel as if she did not know the girl sitting across from her.

"I am the only one that we know of, who can purify the jewel. If the jewel is not purified, then there is no hope of beating Naraku. We have tried for the last twenty months to locate Naraku's heart to no avail. I cannot place even my brother before this duty. If Naraku is not defeated, then there is a good chance that there will be no Souta to stay with." Kagome's eyes were harder than anyone had ever seen them. "I am one of the few that understands; I have a purpose, a duty, an honor, a destiny. This will be finished. If I live after it has reached completion, only then will I search for a way to return to my brother."

Miroku had been agitated by Sango's questions; it seemed that ever since Kohaku had been given back his life, Sango had held something against Kagome. Now, however, was not the time to ponder this development, "Kagome-sama, why did you seal the well?"

"The government is going to take over the shrine. In another two to four weeks, the well will be gone on that side. It is no longer a possible way home; it became the hot air balloon." A slight smile crossed her face as she realized none of her friends understood her reference to the Wizard of Oz. "Besides, I didn't seal it. What I did was place Inuyasha's rosary beyond the reach of any enemy. While it is true that it would be difficult to tap into the ancient magic of it, it is not impossible. I will not have the responsibility of another's death on my shoulders." Kagome gave Shippo a hug as she said this. She 

began to notice that the itch was beneath her skin again. "Whenever you guys are ready to resume our quest, I am as well."

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Kagome gradually became aware that she was laying on a futon, not the forest floor. Opening her eyes, she knew she was back at the Western Citadel. These, however, were not her quarters. She attempted to stand, but the pain between her legs forced her to cease all movement.

Dread fill her entire body, as she began to remember pieces of what happened. Had she upset Sesshoumaru so much? More importantly, what was to become of her? Was she now, truly, a whore?

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AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

Emily


	8. Chapter 8: You, Me and the Baby Makes 3

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to SleepingChickenNugget and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

centeruChapter 8: You, Me, and the Baby Makes Three/u/center

Was she a whore? The question kept running through Kagome's head. He had asked her that question not more than five days ago. Well, at least, she thought it had been five days; she really had no memory after being in the cave with…. nope, not going to think about that. iThat/i was her problem; the cave was all she could think about. Sesshoumaru had taken from her the only thing that she had managed to keep pure.

This truly was some fairy tale, a Grimm fairy tale. Yet, again, she got a nice mental picture of pulling Fate's head bald. She would use tweezers so that, when she pulled the last hair from Fate's wicked head, she could start all over again. With a few hundred years of that therapy, Kagome felt she imight/i be willing to forgive the bitch for what she had done. The smile on Kagome's face faded when she noticed the presence at the edge of the room.

"Get dressed, miko. We have much that needs to be discussed." Sesshoumaru was waiting for her to comply, but she did not make any move to acknowledge his order.

"Miko, do not try my patience."

"I am not your whore." She faced away from him, towards the wall, so that all he could see was her back.

Sesshoumaru wished for her blood for her defiance; however, his beast would not allow it. Sesshoumaru was not sure if it was the female his beast was protecting or the unborn pup. He hoped it 

was the latter, as it would prove troublesome if it was the former. He silently stalked forward, until he was right behind her.

Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "This Sesshoumaru does not repeat himself."

With unknown speed, she shot from the palate to huddle in the far corner. "Do not touch me."

She reminded him of a wounded animal. "Do not flatter yourself."

Suddenly all of her fear was replaced with self-righteous furry. "Then why did you?! You took something that was not yours to take."

She denied that he saved her. She claimed independence. If she continued on this path, then even the beast would not be able to stop his retaliation. "This Sesshoumaru did what was necessary to protect what is his." The low rumble of his voice would have given Kagome fair warning to back down had she been thinking beyond her anger.

"What is yours? I am not yours. I am not some tree you can pee on to mark your territory. I have played the bitch to too many beings. I WILL NOT BE YOURS!! You have more than enough concubines to sate your urges; ithis/i Kagome will never be your whore."

"BITCH, LEARN YOUR PLACE!" His eyes were shading with red; an internal war was raging between him and his beast. There was a reason why he was the master.

All of this Kagome ignored; she was done with arrogant dogs. "I have always known my place, you over- grown mutt. My place iwas/i never and iwill/i never be beneath you. You have no idea what you have done. The required price of victory was one soul to spend eternity in the purgatory of self-made sins. The one to be sacrificed was not you, but NO!" her voice dropped to do her best impression of him, "This Sesshoumaru has not given his permission for such.

"Kami-sama, you are not above the Kami. It was my burden to bare, mine to atone for. I was willing to pay. Do you not see that it would have completely eliminated the threat of the Shikon no Tama? No, of course you do not see such a trinket as a threat. You have never been touched by the ancient evil that ensured its creation. All you know is your pride.

"You, you arrogant son of a bitch, took from me the last of my purity. I had managed to hold onto it without corrupting it, without tempting it. That purity was the reason I would have been able to finish the war. I knew my place, until you ripped me from it."

Her chest was heaving, her aura pulsating. The raw power that resonated around her called to him to challenge her back. "This Sesshoumaru grows annoyed by your tongue; you would be wise not to speak to your betters in such a manner."

Sesshoumaru's statement was hissed through clenched teeth. If he had been in any mood to reflect on irony he would seen it in the fact that he pupped the one female he knew to be more insufferable than both his brother and mother combined.

"You are not my 'better'."

That single comment allowed Sesshoumaru to overcome the beast's need to protect. Kagome suddenly found herself pinned face down on the floor, underneath a growling and snarling tai-youkai. This had not been one of her more intelligent moments. However, she would not let him win. Her powers started to swirl around her.

Sesshoumaru was actually enjoying having her beneath him once again, until he realized that he was deriving pleasure from it. Immediately, he became worried about what this girl, wait….iwoman/i was doing to his sanity. He then noticed that his skin was starting to burn. The beast within him became frantic, and he knew instantly the beast worried for the pup.

"You will cease this, before you harm the pup."

"What are you talking about? I would never harm an innocent." When had a pup entered the room? There were only the two of… "Sesshoumaru, what pup are you referring to?"

The burning had already eased on his skin; she was backing down. Sesshoumaru changed his position so that he straddled her, his legs pinning her arms to her side. "The one you carry, this Sesshoumaru's heir." He was not willing to accept the possibility that the pup might be female.

"You got me pregnant?!"

Sesshoumaru had thought the encounter with Inuyasha was tedious, but once again, this miko was proving him wrong.

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The sun was just setting behind the great stone walls of the Western Citadel as the travelers approached. Immediately, the Regent was informed that the Lord had returned. The lord proceeded into the main complex, while the others headed about their business. It was decided that Tadashi would be responsible for the kit until the miko could regain the role of his protector.

Tadashi was not sure if this meant that he had the kit until she regained consciousness or if it would be as long as until the miko had weaned the pup. He was not going to question. Overall, he liked the kit, and could think of several pranks to play on friends that would make his time that much more enjoyable.

Sesshoumaru was approaching the entry to his private chambers when Inuyasha found him.

"Sesshoumaru, how have you not killed your mother yet? I swear the bitch has more lives than a fucking cat." Inuyasha noticed something was off. "Why are you carrying Kagome? What the hell happened?" Inuyasha kept coming closer, ignoring his brother's warning growl. His approach stopped when he noticed that Sesshoumaru's eyes were bleeding red. Inuyasha decided to test the air, attempting to find some explanation for his brother's behavior.

He sniffed again. Could his hanyou sense of smell really be that poor? There was no way ithat/i scent could be correct, but it was still there.

"Sesshoumaru, what did you do to Kagome?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Bullshit. If I had wanted her pupped I would've taken her to Prince Kouga of the Eastern Wolf Tribe for protection. What the hell is wrong with you? You hate humans and despise half-breeds even more."

"You will stay out of matters that are not your concern." The beast had receded in its protection of the breeding female. The other male was no longer approaching.

"KAGOME is my concern."

"YOU, dear brother, handed her protection over to this Sesshoumaru. You no longer have any rights to her." If Sesshoumaru's hands had not been occupied holding a certain pupped miko, he would have strangled Inuyasha.

"Why her?" The utter defeat in the hanyou's voice convinced Sesshoumaru that maybe his brother deserved some sort of answer.

"She left this Sesshoumaru no choice, but to force a rapid bonding. Unfortunately, the miko also happened to be in heat at the time." There was no way he would admit to anyone that his beast pupped the bitch without his consent.

"Does she even know?" Sesshoumaru was through answering the annoyance's questions. He turned to walk into his private rooms. He needed time to think things through without any distractions.

"What of your mother? When she catches wind of this, fuck, who knows what she'll do. Whatever the bitch will come up with, it ain't gonna be fair to Kagome."

"Hn."

"You bastard, don't you 'Hn' me! You swore you would protect her. Now you've gone and put her and her pup in one the most dangerous situations possible."

Sesshoumaru's back went rigid, 'Kagome's pup.' NO. The pup was his.

"Inuyasha, the pup is mine. The miko is just the breeder."

"You ASSHOLE! You would take that pup away from her?" Inuyasha was having a hard time reigning in his demon blood, even with Tessaiga strapped to his hip. Then, suddenly, a flash of a memory came to him: it was him trying to convince Kagome to leave Shippo behind right after they had met the kit. If Sesshoumaru thought he had seen her obstinate before, his brother was in for a rude awakening. "Good luck with your 'breeder' when you tell her."

Sesshoumaru did not acknowledge what his brother had said; he just kept walking towards his sanctuary … his sanctuary that would now be invaded by a breeding female. He would have hung his head in shame if such an action were not so far beneath his station.

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Kagome waited for his response, but the tai-youkai seemed quite content to smash her into the floor with his body.

"Okay, so I cannot call upon my powers, but is it perfectly healthy for the baby if you lay on me like the Great Pyramid of Giza?"

Sesshoumaru knew he was nowhere inear/i that heavy. She would learn not to …. Wait, how did she know about the Egyptian Pyramids?

"Miko, where did a lowly human, such as yourself, come by such knowledge?"

'Shit, shit, shit, shit, double shit.' Kagome blamed lack of oxygen for her impaired brainpower. However, this was not helping. What were you suppose to say when you could not tell the truth and the person questioning you was a walking lie detector? Answer: nothing.

"Miko, you will answer."

Kagome shook her head no. Sesshoumaru nipped her ear. If she wanted to act like an unruly pup, he would treat her like one.

"Now!"

"No."

Sesshoumaru's growl could be described as nothing other than deadly. His left hand wrapped around the front of her throat. He allowed his claws to prick into her flesh.

For the first time in her life, Kagome feared for her body. It was not the pain. It was not the threat of death. It was that Kagome had suddenly realized that it was no longer just her body. Another being was completely dependent on her body. Another being was growing within her, a being that was her child. She did not care about how it was conceived. Right now, she cared even less about its father. The being was her child, and she would do anything to protect this new life.

"The child."

"You would hide behind a pup?"

"No." Kagome released purifying energy from her hands, scorching Sesshoumaru's inner calves. "I will not allow your temper to harm my child."

Sesshoumaru refused to move from his perch above the miko. He pulled her back towards himself, bending her back painfully at an awkward angle. "Miko, your insolence will not go unpunished."

"You ass. There are far bigger problems than my refusal to tell you where I learned of ancient Egyptian architecture."

"This Sesshoumaru's need to know of your origins is paramount."

"My origins are beyond your grasp."

"You call your alpha weak?"

"No, I never called you weak. I did not even imply such a thing. It was you who inferred it."

"BITCH!"

"NO!! I have a name. Do you ieven know/i it?! You can rape me, impregnate me, hit me, question me, dominate me; all of this, but you cannot even show enough respect for another being to learn the name of the one who is carrying your child."

Kagome was done. She had wallowed in pain; no result. She had carried the burdens of others; no peace. She had chosen the noble path; no home. She had learned from past mistakes; no respect. She had maintained her virtue to the point where her body was unknown even to her own hand; no release. She had forgiven any transgression; no solace. She had done everything that was asked of her; no love.

Love had eluded the miko with a heart the size of all of Japan. Kagome was now pregnant with the child of a man who saw her as something lower than dirt. Throwing her into a society with rules she did not understand, a society that would never recognize her as anything, a society that would never recognize her child, a society that would never be 'home.'

She knew what her name would be here and that was what hurt the most.

"I am not a whore." She said it under her breath. It was not meant for him, but to convince herself.

Sesshoumaru removed himself from his position on the miko. Kagome immediately curled into a ball on the floor. Sesshoumaru noted that this was the second time in so many days that he had caused this strong female to curl into the fetal position. Breaking her would be no accomplishment worthy of pride.

Sesshoumaru gathered Kagome to him once again, carried her over to the palate. As he laid her down, he noted the added tension in her body. She was aware of what was going on and now she was trying to hide in fear.

He felt annoyance and shame. His beast was in a near frenzy to calm the female down. The creature feared that the female would harm the pup, and its fear was not completely unfounded. Kagome had the power to purify; the pup had at least some demon blood in its veins. Sesshoumaru almost shook his head in order to rid himself of such thoughts. This woman before him would never harm an innocent.

Sesshoumaru realized that Kagome would endure an eternity in hell for beings she did not even know. She would never choose her pride and ego over the life of their pup. Yes, the pup was partially hers, Sesshoumaru would admit to that fact, but only in his head.

This was the individual that continually made the correct decision, not because it was easy, but because it was right. She had fought to save as many as possible. When salvation was possible, she offered to take their hate, fear, and self-incrimination, so that they could find peace in death. She would smile with the promise of hope, when others could see none, for the simple reason of not letting those around her to fall into despair.

Inuyasha may have been an idiot, but even his simple mind saw that she was to be protected. Sesshoumaru never stopped to think about how much it hurt Inuyasha's ego to come to him and ask for help. This woman was worth burying centuries of hate in order to ensure she was safe.

Sesshoumaru realized that the only thing he had ensured was that she was bound. He watched her eyes, sealed shut from the world, her face turned as far away from him as possible. One of the few, who had never faced him with her fear visible, was now absolutely petrified of what he might do to her and cowering away from him.

This was wrong. The girl stands courageously against countless foes, but she cowers from her alpha's touch. No, this was not acceptable. What he had done was not wrong. She left him no choice. Sesshoumaru recognized how far humans could carry their grudges. His pup would not resent him. Then the thought came to him that she did not understand the necessity of the act. He would explain it to her, before others had the chance to manipulate her fear.

Sesshoumaru lowered his head to her lower abdomen, nuzzling his face into where his pup was safely nestled within the mother's womb. He had waited too long to have an heir. He had been denied too long a family. This was his pup, this was his family. It would not be ruined because his breeder was afraid of him.

Kagome had opened her eyes and turned to see the terrifying western lord, kneeling to worship her stomach. Not knowing what to make of her current circumstances, she tentatively reached one hand down to place it on his shoulder. He made eye contact with her, and when she was about to speak; he silenced her.

"Kagome, you are not a whore. There is much we have to discuss."

Sesshoumaru stood and walked to an adjoining room where there was a sitting area. There were many things to be said, but he was unsure, for the first time in his life, how to begin.

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AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

Emily


	9. Chapter 9: Of Long Sleeves

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to SleepingChickenNugget and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

centeruChapter 9: Of Long Sleeves/u/center

The miko was taking her time. Sesshoumaru was not in the mood to wait for her. Just as he had deemed it necessary go and retrieve the female, she appeared.

Kagome could tell that he had a hard time keeping his trademark stoic facial expression. So she recapped the events in her head: she had woken up to find herself not in her own room, here she was no longer a virgin, the one who had deflowered her decided play a game of "Who is Alpha?" (she still wasn't sure who had won), next she was told that she is pregnant, and finally the icing on the cake, she was left in a room to ready herself for an already pissy lord when she discovered that she had no clue how to adorn any of the clothing. She had never worn a kimono in her life. At all of the festivals she had attended, she was attired in the traditional grab of a miko; well, traditional, at least, for her family shrine.

That having been said, she stood before "Lord Stick up His Ass" in what probably looked like a three-year-olds attempt to play dress up all by herself. She had no clue how to properly to tie an obi; in fact, she had not realized they were that long!

"Miko, how can you have lived this long and still not know how to dress yourself?" The mirth in his eyes as he spoke made her want to stick her tongue out in retaliation.

"I, iSesshoumaru-sama/i, was not born to a family that required me to wear such pomp." She moved to kneel before him; she refused to admit to failing in such a simple task as getting herself dressed.

Kagome moved to serve him tea from the available set, then served her own. She waited for him drink and begin the conversation.

Sesshoumaru found it very comical to be seated across from someone who held their person with such poise, while their clothing was in such disarray.

"In the future mi-Kagome, you will wear kimonos with longer sleeves. This Sesshoumaru will not have other males thinking his breeder is still available."

Kagome almost lost control of her tongue and sent cup of tea flying across the room at him, but she reigned in her anger. She realized that there was no point in arguing with him about how insulting the comment was; he did not give a damn. "Hai."

"You will now tell me where your village is."

"I cannot and, as I said before, none can reach it now."

"Unacceptable, you will not hide things from your alpha."

"Fine. I used to be able to reach my 'village' through the Bone Eaters Well. However, that route has been sealed and I have not discovered another method." Kagome stared him dead on in the eye; it was a challenge from him to call it a lie.

"Why would the well cease to work?" He did not detect any falsehood in her statement, yet she still had not surrendered anything of importance.

"I sealed it about two weeks before the final battle with Naraku." Sesshoumaru could tell the she had become increasingly uncomfortable with the topic of the well. He, however, would not be deterred from the truth.

"Why would you choose to seal yourself here?"

"Arrogant ass," it was said softly and meant to be a comment only for herself. "Inuyasha's rosary was the key to the magic in the well. Upon my last trip home there was almost nothing left for me there. The only one of my family, who survived the attack, was my brother. My brother is the only blood relation I know of. He is staying with the woman we call our aunt; she was actually my father's younger brother's widow.

"Well I guess that doesn't explain why I sealed the well, now does it?" Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her blankly. "My brother was too young to assume responsibility for the shrine, and the ones who were going to take it over planned on removing the gateway on that side of the portal."

"Why?"

"The ones who were gaining control did not know that it was even a gateway. Before you ask; no, neither my family nor I ever told them. The reason that we did not share the knowledge was simply because they would not have believed it.

"So I did not believe that my duty would be completed before the magic of the well was negated because of the destruction of one of the gateways. Instead of waiting to see if we completed a task that we had been unable to finish for three years, I chose to seal it upon my return here."

"So that none from your home would follow?"

"No. It was Inuyasha's rosary that was linked to the magic of the well. Kami opened the well initially, but was Inuyasha's beads of subjugation that kept the well open. The only way to remove the spell associated with those beads was to combine it with the magic of the well. The beads had to pass 

through the well alone from this side. Inuyasha is free from the spell of subjugation, the well no longer poses a threat to those on the other side, and all I had to do was abandon my only family.

"Do see you now that the purity I had left was that of my body? My ignorance left my family open for attack, my honor left my brother alone, my selfishness killed Shippo, my blackened heart cost Kohaku his life, and my duty allowed Sango no peace. All of this might have been worth his destruction, but he has not been destroyed. He now has the freedom to roam." Her head hung in shame, "I failed. My curse is that I understand too late what it is I should do."

"Miko," he watched her tense when he refused to use her name. "You will cease this self derogation and inform this Sesshoumaru how he is to contact your brother. Your brother must be told of your new status within the West."

"I'll tell you: you wait about five hundred years. Then you go to the capital city of the humans of these islands. That is where I will be born, where my brother will be born. If you are not willing to wait, I am sorry but I do not know who my ancestors are in this time."

"You expect this Sesshoumaru to believe that you are from the future?" He was tired of her refusal to tell of her origins. It had been less than an hour since he last pinned her to ground and already he wanted to pin her again. Absently he thought that he was going to have find a different method of discipline when her belly started to swell with the pup.

"I do not lie. In fact, I could not lie to save my life. Really Sesshoumaru-isama/i, you are willing to accept that the well is a magical portal, but not that the other side of the portal is the future? Either it is magical or it is not. From everything that I understand, the only thing that binds magic is power. If there is enough power then literally anything is possible."

"Hn, you will tell me of the future."

"This is why I did not want to tell you. I do not think I should." Sesshoumaru's growl made her realize that if she did not come up with an exceptional reason, then she would become intimately acquainted with this floor as well. "I do not understand the complications of time travel; however, I will not risk the destruction of the future because I became loose-lipped about certain events that have yet to happen."

"You fear that if this Sesshoumaru uses the information given here that you will not be born."

"No, I don't think that my birth can be avoided. At any rate, if you changed history because of the information I give, then I still need to be born to pass the information. Wait…how can I tell you about a certain event if it does not occur? I am confused. If time were a line then certain events would have to occur before the others, however, time might not be a line seeing how I slipped from one present to another.

"I am not a Quantum Physicist or a philosophy major. I don't care which came first, the egg or the chicken. I like to eat them both and want them to continue to exist. Therefore, I will not be sharing anything that I know about what happens in the future because I cannot even begin to understand what the possible repercussions may be." Kagome finished her little speech and stared waiting for his response. She really hoped it did not involve the floor again.

Sesshoumaru had a headache. Somewhere in that incessant blabbering was a valid point, he was sure. He wondered if he truly wanted to try and sift it out. No, there was no point. If she had access to the details of history, she would have learned long before the final battle with Naraku where his heart was hidden. There was no way that she had previous knowledge of it, her reaction in that battle was too genuine.

As for her unwillingness to share, there were other ways around it. All he had to do now was pay attention to her reactions. If she held knowledge of the outcome of an event, it would carry into her body language. The girl before him was many things, but a deceiver was not one them. The problem with this plan was that he no longer could look forward to being rid of the girl. Truth be told, it would have been stupid to relinquish control of such a powerful miko.

The thought of her power made him question something she had said before. Naraku's wish. "Miko, why not use your newly acquired power to unseal the well?"

Kagome's skin itched. There were echoes of the voice taunting her to go home, that all she had to do was embrace the power. "Power when not earned is dangerous. You know this. It was Naraku who wished to become 'all powerful,' not I. If he had lived he would have been the strongest, most powerful 

being alive. So the question becomes: how would the jewel accomplish this? I don't know, but every part of me screams to never find out. There comes a point when the correct question is no longer 'could we,' but 'should we?'

"They were not my ruby slippers. Unfortunately, now I can't quite get them off. Where would they be left in safety? The wish was not mine, so what I was left with was the temptation to make the prize my own."

"Miko, cease the riddles. Is the power yours or not?"

"My power is my own; the power from the wish could never be utilized separate from the evil of the jewel. Now that I no longer carry the evil within me, I don't know who has the power. I fear he does."

Fine, all that aside, he had the answer to the question of the miko's family. There would be none that could claim her and demand restitution. Good. The next thing that needed to be discussed was her elusive reference to the youkai soul.

"You will tell this Sesshoumaru why you refer to an ancient evil. Magatsuhi was destroyed nearly a decade ago."

"Magatsuhi was his first attempt at freedom. Naraku was hard to manipulate to his whims. I believe that he manipulated the rest of us on the hunt to destroy Naraku so that he could gain his freedom." Kagome was no longer paying attention to the tai-youkai, to whom she spoke. No, she was lost in her own mind. There were fragments there, pieces of the puzzle that she was having a hard time putting together.

Sesshoumaru's ire was rising. He was not one to be ignored, especially by a human girl who had a propensity to refer to flying monkeys. "If he is not Magatsuhi, then who is he?"

"I do not know for sure. I believe that Midoriko did not actually trap any youkai soul in the jewel with her, but a Kami. Amatsu-Mikaboshi to be exact.

"Towards the end of my training, every time I passed the Komainu, the wind would seem to whisper: 'Must be devoured.' It was not until I began to wander, that it made any sense." Her eyes were hazed, as she tried to focus on the inu-youkai before her. She hoped that he would be able to understand, for deep within her, she knew there would be no second chances.

Sesshoumaru noticed a plea within her eyes right before she collapsed before him. He was moving to see what was wrong with the most irritating female. Suddenly, she stood before him; her countenance was not that of a miko but a Kami.

"You dog, will listen to what you are told. Your arrogant interference has done more harm than any other being can hold claim to. We have decided, however, to offer you a chance at redemption ..."

Sesshoumaru was on his feet growling viciously at the thing that would dare posses his breeder. "None speak to this Sesshoumaru in such a manner and live. iYOU/i will release this Sesshoumaru's breeder, inow/i!" His tone was deadly, and his body was preparing to follow through with the unspoken threat.

The one controlling Kagome paid no attention to his posturing. "bShe/b is not yours. She is bours/b. We designed her so that she could accomplish that which all before her failed to complete. Through many different parties' interference she finally saw the path, or as she called it the 'Yellow Brick Road.' She followed her road, to her destiny. She faced it all with honor and courage.

"You ripped her back. For what, a perceived slight against your status? Dog, she is not a bitch. Your claim as her alpha has no more validity than your mother's claim of being mate to your father. However, while your mother's claim is a harmless folly, yours has threatened every living being.

"This 'breeder' was the one who could lead Amatsu-Mikaboshi to the shadow. There he would be devoured, thereby ceasing his influence over this plane. The shadow are able to hold him for eternity, it is why my sister, Amaterasu, created them.

"In your need to ensure that an unwilling female conceived, you gave him the opportunity to escape his personalized prison. Now you dare, bdog/b, to command this Uzume. Kneel before those who are better than you."

"This Sesshoumaru does not kneel to anyone, especially when he is in his own domain!" His eyes were completely red, and he was having a hard time holding off the transformation. In his mind, he knew there was no way to attack this interloper without harming the pup. His beast was willing to fight even this Kami, for his bitch.

"Your arrogance will be your downfall. When you survive this encounter, you will owe it to the girl. Even now, on the morning after your offense against her, she pleads for your safety. You do not deserve her forgiveness. Your sense of entitlement rivals that of Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Never again can you say that your mother gave you nothing.

"This girl, the one you had to lower yourself to bind, can no longer fulfill her purpose. She will be unable to sacrifice the babe within her. In addition, Amatsu-Mikaboshi will come to end her. She is the one that can destroy him; he will not let her go. He has already taken root within the life inside her.

"Know this, dog: if she is unable to cleanse the 'pup,' it will fall on your shoulders to ensure the 'pup's' life is forfeit."

The snarl released from the almost feral lord, nearly shook the room to the ground. "This Sesshoumaru will never kill his young!!"

With an equally commanding tone, "It would no longer be your pup, but Amatsu-Mikaboshi's bastard."

Then the room stilled as the miko collapsed to the floor once more. The smell of salt water hit Sesshoumaru's nose. He knew then that she had heard all that was discussed. She knew the fate of their pup.

Kagome raised her head; she stared at the male before with deep accusation in her eyes. "Why? Why would you impregnate someone who is so obviously the toy of the Kami? Do you not see how weak I am that I cannot even keep my own child safe? Don't come near me!"

Sesshoumaru pushed her up against one of the wood support beams in the wall. He hovered over her body in a very dominating way. "You are iMINE/i." He moved his clawed hand to cover her entire lower abdomen. "This is my iMINE/i."

"No, I am not iyour/i bitch. Apparently, I am someone else's bitch, and in case you haven't noticed their influence is far greater than yours!"

"No! bMINE/b." He was losing the battle with his beast. It was urging him to re-stake the claim, that way the female would remember whose seed she carried.

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Madoka was not going to take any more insult. First, a human whore took her place as Lady of West. Fine. The little twit got herself kidnapped and killed within a few short years. It had taken her years, decades even, to silence the courts about that minor indiscretion.

She had tried for years to ensure that the second son was killed, before he proved to be more of a nuisance. The damn ihanyou/i was far more resilient than she had thought possible. Every time he lived. She also ran into problems with the current lord, her son. It seemed as if he was dead set on proving she was behind the plots.

Honestly, how could he side with that abomination over his own mother? He took after his father far too much. She would have smothered him as a pup if she had known he would be this much trouble.

Madoka had put up with the miko bitch, she had only corrected the insolent girl a few times, and this was the thanks she received. Her rank, her title was being given to a human. No, her son would not do this to her, she would find a way to replace him.

Madoka knew that her daughter could be of use, as she had an unmated female pup. Madoka had ensured when she mated off her daughter that she had the right to ordain any match of female offspring.

Sadly, Madoka only had one grand-pup survive into adulthood. A wicked smile crept onto her face. It was such a shame that her daughter's mate did not have strong enough blood to pass the immunity of poison onto his offspring. Oh well, maternal instinct was never hers nor her daughter's strong suit.

The thing that needed to be done was to find a male that had ambition with very little means to accomplish it.

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Tadashi had never imagined that pups, well kits, could be so much fun. It had been ages since he had someone who enjoyed playing tricks on drunks, and there were never so many drunks since the rebel threat had been eliminated.

Yuichi was very controlled in his fox magic. The kit had confided in the older inu that his foxfire had always been a problem for him. His honorable father was the youngest of his uncles and therefore had never been around when teaching another to control the talent. Yuichi also mentioned that his father had exceptional control over his magic from a very young age, so much so that he placed the highest for his age in the "exam."

Yuichi would not clarify what the "exam" was; Tadashi just figured it was the way that foxes determined power level amongst themselves. Tadashi had never heard of a fox commanding a lordship, which made sense because by nature they preferred to hide and sneak around.

Tadashi began to notice how the kit would send worried glances towards the main compound. Yuichi was worried about the miko; even though he did not understand the intricacies of the inu packs, he had noticed the miko's lack of submission. She was in a very dangerous position, and he had already 

discovered that the prior breeder would not bow out gracefully. All Yuichi wanted to do was be near his savior. She needed someone that would not judge her, to assure her that she was worthy.

Tadashi knew that if he did not find a way to learn of the miko's condition, then the kit would do something foolish. The problem was the ferocity with which the lord protected his bitch. Whether Sesshoumaru-sama realized it or not, he was protecting the female more as a mate than as a breeder.

Tadashi never would have thought that Sesshoumaru-sama would follow the example set by his father. At least this human was powerful, and she had already earned the respect of the soldiers from the stunt she pulled on the battlefield against the rebels.

Tadashi shook his head; there was no way he could find anything out right now. Therefore, he needed to distract the kit. Kuro just so happened to step into Tadashi's line of sight and he smiled. The possibilities were endless.

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Inuyasha was not going to sit back and take this. "What the fuck: 'She left this Sesshoumaru no choice'? What the fuck kind of answer is that?" he muttered to himself as he left the Citadel.

Inuyasha knew of at least one person he could turn to for help. He knew it was not a good time to go calling on the houshi, but damn it, the houshi owed her. Besides, maybe the letch could figure out the link between Kagome and the shadows.

Inuyasha itched with the feeling of uncertainty as he leapt from limb to limb. All he knew was the gut feeling to challenge Sesshoumaru. Damn, Kagome was pack! She was a sister that gave up everything for him, and always with forgiveness and a smile. She deserved better than the position of a glorified whore.

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"NO. I am not your ibitch/i, or iwench/i, or iwhore/i. I am Kagome. It is all I will ever be." Her voice had fallen into a submissive whisper; the tears carved paths down her cheeks. She searched his eyes; she needed him to understand. "I was supposed to be forgotten, sacrificed. That is why everything over the years was done to break me." Her head fell forward, searching for support from the being that deemed her worthy of salvation. "What being does not even have a complete soul? I am not worthy of any other fate than what I found on that cave floor. I have been tied to that evil for so long that it, he, has seeped into every part of my being. I am so weak that I allowed it to attack my unborn child. What kind or mother allows that?"

The beast within whined to soothe the distraught female. Sesshoumaru recognized that on some level, this was his fault; however, he would never audibly admit it. She should have told him what was to happen back at that island. It was his right as alpha to pass judgment as to whether or not the course of action was correct.

No, she deserved more than an eternity on a cave floor with only her memories of failure. She was stronger than most to willingly accept that fate, that duty. She deserved more from him. Yes, she was an annoyance, but so was iMother/i. If he had managed not to kill iMother/i in the last two and a half centuries since he had been back, he could offer respect to one who had proven her worth.

Sesshoumaru realized that Kagome needed to be protected not only from outside threats, but also from herself. It was his duty as alpha to protect her. It was his honor. She was worth more than the life growing within her.

Sesshoumaru moved his hand from her neck to cradle her face. He tilted her head so that she was looking at him, "You are pack." He then pressed his hand a little more protectively over her womb, "This is family. This Sesshoumaru protects what is his. I do not surrender to impossible odds."

He then picked up the woman, and carried her back to the futon. Tucking her in to rest, he turned on his heels and left the room. He would send a servant to help her dress for the evening meal. She must learn to dress in proper attire. No longer was she a shrine maiden.

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AN: Thank you for reading please review.

Emily


	10. Chapter 10: I'm Melting

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to SleepingChickenNugget and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

centeruChapter 10: I'm Melting/u/center

Kuro narrowed his pale green eyes. He watched the sutra lift slightly from the rock … or was it a pebble? He did not care at the moment; all he cared about was getting loose so he could hunt down the kit.

Kuro had enough problems getting the other soldiers to respect him, seeing how he had no family standing worth mentioning. Was it his fault that his father was lecherous? No, his father's habits were no more under his control than the frequency of the falling rains.

His hands had fallen asleep a long time ago. He knew that he could not knock the sutra off with his feet. Several repeated attempts, that looked like he had been trying to scratch an itch behind his ear with his foot, had proven this. He knew for a fact that the rock or pebble tasted like shit. This was learned in a failed attempt to remove the sutra with his mouth.

Really, could the day have been any worse? He had gone to blow off steam and drink with his fellow soldiers. This did not seem like a bad plan at the time, though he should have known that the crowd that drinks in the middle of the day was not the kind looking just to unwind.

Turns out that he, Kuro, was to blame for their leader taking the miko as his breeder. Kuro could not follow the logic but he figured if he drank more, then it would make sense. Wrong. All drinking more did was to make him an easier target.

He had been run out after his final attempt to proclaim his innocence. In this state of drunken enlightenment, he had stated:

"I dare any of you to not take a powerful female that is nearly naked, panting, on her hands and knees. She was calling out for a male. The call was stronger than any bitch in heat I have ever encountered. If the lord had not been there, there probably would have been a battle for rutting rights."

He immediately knew he had gone too far. The faces staring back at him ranged from horror to disgust. Not only had he told the group of inus that they would lower themselves to fight over who got to rut with a human, but he had impugned the virtue of the West's breeder. Things had not gone well for him, and he had been so distracted trying to stay hidden from the pissed off soldiers that he never noticed the kit until it was too late.

He was wondering if he could actually sleep in this position. Just as he was attempting to find a comfortable spot on the pebble, he became aware of another's presence.

"There you are." Shit. "You have just been volunteered for a very important assignment." The way the others were laughing, made Kuro question whether or not he was going to survive this assignment.

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When Inuyasha had shown up at his hut that morning, he experienced the same gut wrenching feeling that occurred the last time Kagome passed through the well. Really, the only reason for Inuyasha to visit him while wearing that facial expression would have to involve Kagome.

Miroku stood tall, and welcomed his pack mate with his trademark smile. "Inuyasha, to what do we owe the honor of the Regent of the West's visit?"

The irritated hanyou just walked by into his hut. When Miroku reentered the hut, Inuyasha began to speak, "Feh, I got one word for you: Kagome."

"Ah." Miroku felt his stomach finally drop. There was no one else in the whole of Japan that could get herself into more trouble than Kagome. "Come Inuyasha, sit and tell me what our little spit-fire has gotten herself into this time."

"Feh, the idiot has gone and gotten herself turned into Sesshoumaru's breeder." Inuyasha refused to sit; instead, he paced back and forth until he heard a feminine gasp from the corner.

"Sesshoumaru-sama would never take a human as a breeder."

Inuyasha turned towards Miroku's wife, "Don't tell me what your precious iSesshoumaru-sama/i would or wouldn't do. He took her. His exact words were i ' She left this Sesshoumaru no choice, but to force a speedy bonding. Unfortunately, the miko also happened to be in heat at the time/i.' So there you have it."

Miroku rose to his wife's defense. "Inuyasha there is no need to take out your frustration on my pregnant wife. She had no more control over the situation than you did. Now, what do you want us to do about this new development?"

Inuyasha deflated as he sunk down to his crouching position. "I dunno. The problem isn't just that she's pupped; it's what she told me before she left for the forbidden island. The Shikon no Tama was never really destroyed."

Miroku felt his knees go weak. "What do you mean, Inuyasha? The jewel was nowhere to be found after the battle."

"Naraku made his wish, but before it could be completed Kagome somehow managed to kill him. The original youkai soul then merged with Kagome. She is the jewel, or the 'living embodiment' of the jewel. Kagome is no longer human."

Miroku mulled over what Inuyasha had just told him. It now made sense as to why Kagome insisted on getting proper training and then disappeared afterwards. Miroku just shook his head. Poor Kagome, she thought she had to take responsibility for the weight of the world.

centeribFlashback/b/i/center

Miroku approached what was once the center of the battlefield. His heart stopped as he saw Kagome kneeling before the crumpled forms of both Sango and Kohaku. He approached solemnly, placing his hand on her shoulder when he finally reached them.

The love of his life was dead. Kagome turned to him tears blazing paths through the dirt on her face. He fell to his knees beside her.

"With her last breathe she wished for your happiness." Her voice was hoarse and broken; Kagome stared at the bodies of her friends as she spoke. "She wanted you to live your life freely, without the threat of the curse hanging over you. She knew Naraku was dead before she died. She knew her village was avenged. Please Miroku, find peace and happiness." The last was said as she was walked away.

Miroku watched her leave. He could not shake the feeling that she was hiding the truth from him. His heart ached for his lost love, but more so for the little miko. She had lost on this day of their final victory. She had lost, and it seemed that she was lost.

centerbiEnd Flashback/i/b/center

"Well then, there is nothing left to do but go see Kagome-sama," Miroku said as he stood to go retrieve Kirara.

It had only taken them a few hours to travel to the Western Citadel.

Miroku took in the sight of the Western Citadel. He was venturing on territory that very few humans had ever seen. He wrapped his arms around his wife praying that he was not a fool who blindly followed honor to their death.

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One of the servants had awoken Kagome. She washed her face and hands in the water provided. The arduous task of dressing went much more smoothly this time with the help of someone who actually knew what was supposed to be done. There was a small disagreement over the number of layers she would be wearing, but Kagome refused to go above nine. It was the middle of summer; she already knew that the innermost layer would be ruined.

When the time came to style Kagome's hair, she tried to convince the servant that no one should touch her hair. Of course, the servant thought that the girl was just being stubborn.

"Breeder-sama, it would reflect poorly on the lord if you were not adorned in the latest fashion."

"That is not the problem, it is-" Kagome was cut off when the servant jerked back.

The shadow had made her presence known by swiping and hissing at the servant. The shadow was very annoyed from being woken up from her rest. She had gorged herself on the miko's memories in order to ensure that the miko remained asleep until a place of safety was reached.

Kagome had almost laughed at the servant's reaction. The servant had been so convinced that Kagome was to trying to demean Sesshoumaru-sama's status, that the girl never realized that there were legitimate concerns with each of Kagome's objections.

"I believe that my hair is fine." Kagome had a hard time containing the laugh as the shadow hissed at the servant again, causing said servant to cower further in the corner. "Now now, Toto. We wouldn't want nasty Miss Almira Gulch, to try and take you away now would we?"

Kagome exited the room, softly cooing and petting her hair. The servant had no idea what to make of the situation. All the youkai knew was the breeder must be powerful in order to withstand the influence of the shadow. Shadows were things told to pups in order to scare them into obedience. They were the things that nightmares were made from.

When Kagome entered the dining area, she came face to face with the one individual she had been hoping to avoid.

"Inuyasha…"

She had no idea what to say to him. She knew that she had, in a way, betrayed him, but she could not shake the feeling that it was her fault things had turned out the way they had. Just when he and his brother began to truly to rebuild their familial bond, she had to go and get impregnated by Inuyasha's brother. That was sure inot/i to cause any added stress between the two.

"Kagome, I brought an old friend to see you." Kagome followed his gaze to where Miroku stood.

Miroku had that same smile on his face that always meant he was up to no good. No, she could not play the part of the doll in front of him. She had already sacrificed too much of herself to ensure Miroku walked off that battlefield without guilt. Besides, he had always seen through her false smiles.

She could hear Sango's voice:

i"DO NOT LIE. You are nothing but a treacherous bitch! All this time, your weaknesses have held us back. We would have won long ago if you had been more like Kikyou. Pathetic copy. There is no level of hell deep enough for the likes of you."/i

Sango's accusations swirling in Kagome's mind.

i"Did you even bthink/b about what that would do to him? … How? How could you do such a thing?"/i

Why did she fail them all so bitterly? Why would Sango not find peace?

i"No. You will not find absolution from me, deceiver." With that, Sango's lifeless body fell over, draping across that of her younger brother./i

The images and words of her 'sister' haunted the little sanity Kagome had left to claim. Miroku's voice pulled Kagome from the suffocating abyss that was her mind.

"Ah, Kagome-sama, you look ravishing. I would ask to you bear my child, but that honor has already been bestowed upon my lovely wife. I believe you two have met before."

"R-Rin-chan? What did you do in your previous life to deserve such a husband?" Kagome found that the room was no longer stationary. Just as she began to think that consciousness was far too overrated, a light laugh brought her back.

"Kagome-sama, we have not seen each other in years. Must you wound me so?" Miroku never let his smile falter. He knew that she did not mean it the way it sounded.

"I apologize, but I'm flabbergasted. I always accepted that you were a lecherous monk. However, Miroku, cradle robbing? Please tell me she was older than eleven before you asked her to bear your child." Kagome shifted her gaze to Rin and smiled. Then she caught Inuyasha's eyes and glared. How dare he not tell her?

"Kagome-sama, I do not know my exact age, but I do believe that I was far older than that when he first brought up the idea of child-bearing. In fact, he approached Sesshoumaru-sama for my hand before he ever uttered the infamous question to me." Rin walked up to her husband and entwined her fingers in his. Miroku immediately brought the offered hand to his lips while placing his other hand affectionately on his wife's swollen belly.

"Wow, I am sorry for every derogatory comment I have ever said about you Miroku. Where was I when this all happened? Oh, right. I was wandering around in the wilderness. Anyway, that is not important. When is the little one going to make an appearance?"

"It should be within the next month or so, Kagome-sama."

"Rin-chan, please do not call me sama. You were raised with far more etiquette than I."

"Kagome-sama, while it is true that I was raised as the ward of the Western lord, you are his breeder. That is a position of great honor. If any do not show the proper respect to you, then they are directly insulting Sesshoumaru-sama's judgment." The smiling, giggling, flower-picking girl had grown into an intelligent woman.

Kagome's heart warmed when she realized the woman before her was the perfect complement to the amorous monk.

"Hn." The baritone voice made Kagome's stomach drop. She hoped that she had done nothing to piss off the youkai behind her. Kagome was well aware of the fact that Inuyasha would not stand by during one of Sesshoumaru's 'lessons' in dominance. "I would have thought that a female of education," Sesshoumaru's eyes bore directly in to Kagome's, "would be able to comprehend the simple rules of etiquette better than a monk's wife." Sesshoumaru turned his gaze to Rin and tested the air.

"As I stated to Rin earlier, she was raised with far more rules of etiquette than I, Sesshoumaru-sama." Kagome bowed slightly to him, and then bared her neck.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru did not turn back to his breeder. "Rin, you are well." It was not a question.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." Both Rin and her husband bowed to the tai-youkai.

"Inuyasha, I expect to be informed the next time the Citadel is to receive guests." Sesshoumaru turned away from the group and began to make his way over to where he would sit.

Kagome felt like an obedient puppy as she followed him. She was not sure where she should sit in relation to the tai-youkai. She did not want to assume anything. She watched as her newest antagonist seated himself on his cushion.

"Breeder, you may serve this Sesshoumaru and then sit yourself in your place at my right." Not once did he look at her, instead, his eyes were fixed on the door.

Inuyasha bit his tongue when his brother chastised him in front everyone, but he would not allow the asshole to treat Kagome as he would another one of his concubines. Inuyasha had just opened his mouth, when another beat him to the chase.

"Sesshoumaru, is the West to be infested so with filthy ningen and hanyou?" The entire room stiffened at Madoka's entrance. None wanted to deal with the bitch. Yet, all knew she would not gracefully bow out.

"I am sorry to hear of your plight Madoka-isan/i. Unfortunately, I have it on good authority that humanity is a worldwide epidemic that is only going to spread further." Kagome's voice was pleasant, her demeanor respectful. The only thing that she did to slight the old female inu was drop the title of respect.

"You will know your place and address my person with proper respect," Madoka snarled. If someone did not curb this bitch's tongue, Madoka might end up risking her son's wrath just to have the satisfaction of the miko's blood on her claws.

"I have. Tell me Madoka-isan/i, what title do you hold now that iI/i am the breeder to the Western lord?"

Sesshoumaru decided that she was defiantly worth the hassle. He had not seen anyone dare to and so effectively put Mother in her place. However, his bitch was seconds away from needing a protector from Mother.

"Strong words from such a useless little girl. Tell me: if you are so iworthy/i of the title why then, has my son spent so much time in the concubines' compound?" The growl she received from her son told her she was coming dangerously close to over stepping her bounds.

"Sesshoumaru-sama does not need to explain his actions to anyone, he is lord. I have no claim on his bedding habits. I did not come by my position by being a whore." Kagome knew how close the female was to hitting her. Kagome just wanted her a little closer and then it would all end.

Inuyasha had left Miroku's side. Miroku would protect Rin from anything this old bitch would be able to throw at the houshi. Inuyasha moved himself to a position that he would be able to reach Kagome in time if need be. He was not sure if Sesshoumaru would not use this as a way out. He knew his brother held no love for the old bitch, but he was not sure how the asshole felt about having a hanyou for an heir.

Sesshoumaru had remained seated. He was much faster than Mother, so he saw no reason to rise if there was no current threat. However, his bitch's last comment might have pushed Mother over the edge.

Madoka would not stand by and let this filth call her a whore. She regretted that she could not make the miko's death slow and painful, but the blood that was about to color her claws would ease that lament.

Before either Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha had made it to Kagome, the little spitfire did something unexpected. Kagome had grabbed the pot of water for the tea and drenched Madoka. Madoka was stopped in her tracks, not from the scolding hot water. No, it was the fact that the miko's reaction to a death threat was to throw water on it. Before Madoka realized it, Inuyasha had her restrained and he was calling for the guards.

"You didn't melt. You were supposed to melt. The wicked witch of the west always melts." Kagome's hand went up to pet her hair, "I don't get it, Toto."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru was quite sure that his breeder's sanity was borderline. Still that had been … amusing. "Take Madoka to her 'sanctuary.' Those who upset the breeder are no longer welcome in the West." Sesshoumaru turned and strode back to his seat.

Rin had watched the whole scene, and she decided that she wanted to know what the older woman was talking about. Carefully Rin stepped out from behind her husband. At his questioning look, she just smiled. Rin approached the spot where Kagome was still standing.

"Kagome-sama, what was supposed to happen?"

"She was supposed to melt."

"Why would anyone melt when water is thrown on them?"

"Not just anyone, the wicked witch of the west."

"Okay. After she melted, what was supposed to happen?"

"The flying monkeys would be free. They would go flying off into the night screeching their joy. Then we would return to the Emerald City. The Wizard was supposed to grant a heart, a brain, courage, and a way home in exchange for destroying the wicked witch of the west. Only it turns out that the Wizard is only a man behind a curtain. The Wizard is nothing but a character in a play. Anti-climactic, I know." Kagome turned and looked at Rin. Rin could only describe the look on Kagome's face is that of a petulant child. "But … but her not melting was anti-climactic as well."

"Hn, it is often disappointing when people do not melt when they should." Sesshoumaru's monotone reply was in stark contrast to Inuyasha's response.

Inuyasha had listened to everything; he had a good idea that Kagome was describing one of those "movies". However, he could no longer hold in his laughter. He fell to the floor rolling in fits of laughter. Kagome had given the old bitch the perfect name, and to top it all off she had thrown water on the old witch.

Through peals of laughter, he managed to get out, "I would endure a thousand sits if we could have taken a picture of the old bitch's face when you dowsed her."

Miroku was not sure how to react. He wanted to be on the floor with Inuyasha, but the butt of the joke was Sesshoumaru-sama's mother. Miroku walked towards his wife; he had noticed how both Rin and Kagome had hid their giggles behind their sleeves.

"Ah, my dear wife, shall we take our seats? I believe the entertainment portion of the evening is over." Miroku guided his wife to where they were to sit. He helped his wife lower herself to the cushion. Because of her condition; Miroku had no qualms about breaking with traditional roles. Rin, however, patiently waited for the sign that she could begin to serve her husband.

Sesshoumaru had watched everyone's reaction to the incident. His opinion of his brother as a brash idiot was reaffirmed, but it was the sound of his bitch giggle that gave him pause. She sounded so much like tiny bells on the wind. He enjoyed the sound, but knew it would not come about that often.

"Breeder." Kagome turn to look at him with a questioning glance. Then she remembered that she was supposed to be serving him. Rushing to his side, she began to serve her lord. Sesshoumaru brought the cup to his lips; it signaled that others in the room were allowed begin their meal. "Breeder," Sesshoumaru held her eyes with his, "In the future you will refrain from trying to melt others with water."

Kagome saw the amusement in his eyes. He had allowed only her to know how much her little display had given him pleasure.

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Yuichi did not like this. They had returned to the Western Citadel last sunset, yet still no one could tell him how the miko who saved him was doing. He knew that something had happened in the cave. The powerful inu-youkai had been very protective of her.

He had heard the other soldiers refer to her as the Western Breeder. He couldn't understand why they said it with such distaste. She was an incredibly powerful female. Her aura rivaled that of the lord. True, hers fluctuated considerably more than he knew to be possible, but she had the power to destroy them all and didn't.

Yuichi just needed to smell her scent again. Tadashi was nice enough, but all the inu was interested in was playing pranks. Yuichi never thought he would live to see a time when he did not have the heart to play another prank, but he did not want to play anymore.

The only thing Yuichi wanted was to feel a sense of home. He knew that the only way that was going to happen was if he could get to her. If Tadashi caught wind of what he was doing then there would be no way to reach the miko.

Yuichi would wait for the cover of night, then he would find her. Then he would find home.

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AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

Emily


	11. Chapter 11: Of Whores and Hanyou

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to SleepingChickenNugget and ktshabatie for beta-ing. Also, the following is not meant to be a lemon (I'm still working on that), I'm trying to capture the mechanical aspect of the act. Let me know if I have accomplished that.

centeruChapter 11: Of Whores and Hanyou/u/center

The meal had finished and Sesshoumaru was tired of not being able to be open with his breeder. For some reason he did not like the fact that she knew how he had spent his afternoon. He still felt that he had done nothing wrong, if only she had simply been more submissive.

centerbiFlashback/i/b/center

As he left the breeder, his blood was boiling. His beast had craved so much to put the little bitch beneath him. There was no way to cool down without a visit. He headed towards the quarters of his most favored concubine. It did not go unnoticed that his beast raged against the idea of another bitch pleasuring him. The one that carried his pup had already proven herself; ishe/i was the one who deserved his attention.

Miyu had been in service of her lord for over a hundred years. She had hoped that one day she would be elevated from her from her status as a concubine. That would never come to pass. Her lord had taken a human over all the concubines to be his breeder. While none of them feared for dismissal, no one imagined that they would see their lord so soon. She was wholly unprepared when he came into her chambers.

Miyu bowed before her lord, not really sure what he wanted her to do. Sesshoumaru walked over to the palate in her chamber. He knew that Miyu was not the most intelligent of bitches, but even she 

should know the only reason for a lord to visit his concubine. Growling his displeasure at her lack of response, he watched in satisfaction as she then began to hastily remove her robes.

A naked Miyu kneeled before her lord baring her neck. When he slightly nodded to her, she reached to untie his hakama and remove his fundoshi. She immediately began to try to arouse her lord. She noted that it was a much more arduous task than normal. She also did not hold out any hope of this being a pleasurable rut.

Miyu, like all the other concubines, had learned to read their lord's mood. All reveled in how generous of a lover he could be, but the fact was that they were there so their lord could find relief without compromising his status. This meant that all of the concubines had experienced his need to expend unwanted stress. He never hurt any of them in the process, but he also did not put any effort into their pleasure.

Finally, she had succeeded in arousing his commanding length. She quickly found herself positioned with her rump in the air. Sesshoumaru was gauging her wetness. He wanted to limit contact as much as possible.

One of the tactics he used to ensure that he did not sire unwanted prodigy, was to employ only concubines that he held no attraction. All the females within his harem were weak; both physically and in terms of power. This way the beast would not be tempted by their heats. He did not necessarily need to be attracted to the bitch in order for his body to react naturally to a willing female. The problem now was his need that he need to dominate; however, the female before him was not satisfying.

She was more than ready for him, so he eased his manhood into her awaiting core. Grumbles of discontent came from the beast as he agreed she was nowhere near the glorious heat that the miko had offered. He began to move slowly at first, as it was not Miyu's fault that she was so inferior to the bitch he wanted beneath him. Miyu had done everything correctly; she offered complete submission and adoration to her alpha. These things were not to be rewarded with pain.

Sesshoumaru's pace began to quicken as the force of his thrusts increased. Still, he refrained from taking her hard and fast. What he wanted to do was beyond brutal, and she was not the one that had angered him. Absently, Sesshoumaru wondered if he would ever get the miko willing to grace his bed.

The last thought had him snarling. He reached one hand around from the bitch's hip to the bundle of nerves that did so many things for a female. He had not planned on tending to her needs, but he wished for more friction. The only way to accomplish this was send her into euphoria.

As his hips moved in an age-old dance, his mind floated back to what the miko had said about her body. She had claimed that no one knew her body, not even herself? No wonder the bitch was so high strung; she had never had the bliss of carnal pleasure flow through her body. He would fix that. Sesshoumaru snarled again at his wandering mind that seemed so obsessed with the breeder. To rid himself of the thoughts, he sought more vigorously for pleasure in the body before him.

It had been a long time since her lord had played her body this way. She would be sore when he left, but she would not trade this feeling for anything. She couldn't help but wonder what caused him to want to dominate her so completely. Whatever it was, she hoped it happened again and again and again.

Two hours later, Sesshoumaru was finally nearing his release. The bitch under him had long since gone hoarse and was now acting as if there were no bones left in her body. His own body tensed as he neared the precipice, slamming into the bitch hard, her strangled moans helping to send him tumbling over.

Sesshoumaru removed himself from the concubine's body, displeased with the amount of time it took to 'relieve stress.' His mood was still foul, because it been the thought of his breeder under him making those noises, that finally sent him over the edge. Damn.

centerbiEnd Flashback/i/b/center

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I ask for your permission to speak with Kagome-sama about the Shikon no Tama." Miroku had waited through the entire meal hoping that Inuyasha would bring it up, but of course the hanyou did not.

"This Sesshoumaru's breeder will be retiring for the evening." Sesshoumaru was not about to risk his bitch being possessed again.

Kagome had different ideas. She had never played the role of a demur female very well and she would not learn any time soon. "Miroku, what do you want to know?" Kagome ignored the growls coming from her left as her eyes focused on her old travel companion.

Miroku knew that if he did not take the opportunity presented to him, he would not have another chance. He waved off his wife's concerned look and began to question Kagome. "I would like to understand more completely what Inuyasha meant by 'the living embodiment of the jewel.'"

"I have no idea what that means. What I ican/i tell you is the Shikon no Tama is no more; however, the threat that it always held is still present. In fact, I do believe that the threat is even greater." Kagome refused to defer to the authority of the tai-youkai seated next to her. While Uzume had been conversing with Sesshoumaru, Kagome had been experiencing her own divine enlightenment.

Kagome let the shiver be seen as it ran through her body. Unlike Sesshoumaru she had not fought the one trying to inform her of her new duty, so she had a much clearer picture of what was taking place. She petted her hair while softly saying, "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

Sesshoumaru could not stop his reaction. His head cocked to the side and one eyebrow rose. He knew that she would defy him at every turn. Sesshoumaru did not have the heart to subdue her in front of Rin or fight Inuyasha. For the first time, Sesshoumaru felt old. "This is not the place to discuss such matters, we will move to a place where privacy and comfort can be assured."

Sesshoumaru did not wait for the others to acknowledge his statement; he simply rose and walked out of the room. Kagome was directly behind him. She was silently cursing him and the pace that he set. The damn formal kimono made it impossible for her to stride alongside him. If she attempted to make her steps any larger, she would run the risk of falling over. After this discussion with Miroku, she would 

confront the arrogant dog about a possible reprieve from the overly-restrictive and uncomfortable clothing.

They entered Sesshoumaru's private study. It had been a while since he had let anyone in this area. However, this was the only place that he could guarantee absolute privacy. Before Sesshoumaru could speak, Kagome's voice rang out.

"Rin-chan, I do not mean to be rude, but I don't think you should be present." She gave a pleading look to Miroku. He seemed to understand that Kagome did not want to see Rin's image of Sesshoumaru tarnished. Miroku nodded his head to his wife. "Thank you, Rin-chan. There is a room three doors down where you can lie down and rest. I remember hearing somewhere that at your stage in pregnancy it is best for the baby if you lie on your left side. Do not worry about others disturbing you, I will send Toto to stand guard." Kagome smiled at the younger woman.

After Rin had left, the shadow scurried out of Kagome's hair to guard the woman her mistress deemed so worthy.

It did not settle well with any of the males that the shadow was following so closely to the heels of a pregnant Rin. Miroku was moving to stand and defend his wife when the voice of his long time friend again rang out.

"Toto will not harm her. Toto has no need to feed for a long time to come, but she will be more than enough defense to ensure no harm comes to your wife or unborn child."

Miroku turned to look at the woman. When did she change so drastically? He could barely even recognize her. "Kagome-sama, when did you first realize that you could control the shadow?"

Kagome could not help but laugh at the ridiculous question. "No one controls the shadows. The best that one can ever do is to feed them and have them follow. If I truly had control over them then they never would have fallen into the hands of the rebels."

Miroku took in this information but would wait to press the issue, as there was something else that was bothering him. "Kagome-sama, when did your eyes change color?"

Inuyasha's vision shot up to study this seemingly simple detailed that he had missed for over five months. Sesshoumaru noticed that the silver ring was no longer as bright as it had been a few weeks earlier.

Kagome smiled at Miroku, she could always count on him to catch the overlooked detail. "The ring formed at Naraku's death. To destroy the evil that was held within the jewel I tried to tighten a ring of purity around it. I was never able to pull the purity in from a ring to a dot. Actually, it is a good thing, because that would have just created another jewel."

"Hn, then why is it dimmer now?" Kagome's head snapped back in the direction of the inu-youkai.

She was more hesitant to state the reason in front of others, and as a result her answer came out in a hushed whisper. "It dimmed when I lost the last stronghold on my purity, my lord."

Sesshoumaru knew exactly what she was referring to, but he refused to feel any guilt for protecting his pack. Besides the brilliance of the silver had dimmed even further from just moments ago, which would not be explained by her answer.

The monk had caught the meaning behind Kagome's statement; it confirmed his suspicions that she was not necessarily a willing participant in the conception of the pup. If Kagome had freely given herself, then the act would have no effect on her purity. These, however, were questions that no one would ever be permitted to ask. "Kagome-sama, your eyes were brighter at dinner then they are now."

Kagome's eyes were fixated sightlessly on the floor while a half-smirk played across her face. "Toto anchors me, reminds that I was not always in this place. Toto reminds me that I must continue to search for a way home. Follow the yellow brick road."

"Kagome, when did you hit your head and become stupid?" Inuyasha ignored both the harsh look from the houshi and the warning growl from his brother. "Who the fuck is Toto and why can't anyone else see this 'yellow brick road'?"

The trance that Kagome was in broke at Inuyasha's gruff voice. "I named the shadow Toto. I don't know, it seemed fitting at the time. As for why you cannot see the path, it is probably because it is not yours to walk."

"No you don't, wench, you are not disappearing again!!"

Inuyasha was standing in front of Kagome breathing erratically. Sesshoumaru had let loose a snarl when Inuyasha dared to call his bitch names. He was immediately on his feet in front of the offending male that dare threaten his bitch. "Hanyouu, you dare to command what is mine?!" Sesshoumaru's eyes were already rimmed in red, his voice barely comprehendible through the growls.

Inuyasha took note of his brother's stance and immediately submitted. The whines riddled his voice with his next statement, "You don't understand, Sesshoumaru. The last time she disappeared it took me two years of searching to find her. For two years no one, not youkai, not human, had seen, heard or even smelled her. Two years."

Sesshoumaru studied his brother's absolutely defeated attitude, and decided his brother was not a threat. It was the bitch's ability to disappear that was the threat.

"It was only two years? It seemed longer, but I guess you do know what it is like to try and avoid detection from every living being." Kagome looked at Inuyasha, and there was pain in her eyes. "Have you ever done something so horrible that you wished that you could hide from the light of day?"

"Kagome-sama, what did you need to run from?" Miroku had been waiting some time for her signal that she might begin to tell what she was trying to escape.

"I'm sorry Miroku, I … I killed Kohaku." Her eyes stared at nothing but the floor and her voice would not rise above a whisper.

"What?! No, you didn't Kagome; he was just a casualty after Naraku died." Inuyasha did not want to hear anymore of this.

Sesshoumaru remained quiet. He began to realize just how much she had held from the others. Did she tell them of the slayer's final betrayal?

"No, I stabbed him in the heart." Kagome ignored the collective gasp from Inuyasha and Miroku; she needed this to be out in the open. "Shippo and Kohaku came to aid me because I was too weak to do anything on my own. After Shippo … after he … after I failed my son, after he fell I saw it. The reason why we could never find Onigumo's heart in that time was because it was hidden right beneath our noses. Onigumo's heart beat within Kohaku's chest.

"I did what I could for him, I took as much of his guilt and pain that I could before I killed him. He found peace in death, he found self-forgiveness, but I did not. I purified the bone I sent through Onigumo's heart to ensure that none of Naraku nor that bandit's deeds attached themselves to Kohaku's soul. I pray that his next life holds more happiness and peace." Her eyes were rimmed with tears as she stared straight into Miroku's soul. "Sango's will not."

"Why will Sango not find peace? You said that she went to her death free, Kagome-sama?"

"I lied. I thought it best for you to move from that field guilt-free. I am glad that you found happiness with another. If Sango had more time she probably would not have carried so much hate.

"Sango followed Kohaku and I, she saw his final moments. What she did not know was that it was not his own heart beating within his chest. Did either one of you ever wonder why Kikyou chose to save Kohaku instead of the light within the jewel?" Kagome pinned both her former traveling comrades with her flashing eyes. There was rage and guilt deep within the powerful orbs. "Kikyou offered Kohaku the chance at redemption. She tried to save one last victim of Naraku's crimes. Kohaku had the chance to live and the time to find forgiveness for himself. In the end, Kikyou's kindness was my burden to carry.

"In Sango's final moments, she could not see beyond her hate of me and my actions. I tried to take that hate from her before she died, but she would not let me." Only seeing Miroku anymore she begged him to understand that she could no longer carry this. "She did not think of you in the end, only her fallen brother. That day I could not save her, but I realized that I could save you. We both knew her well. If she had lived longer, though she never would have forgiven me, she would not have carried that much hate. She was right that I betrayed her. Her hurtful words stopped me from trying to explain to her why it was necessary, I did not give her the chance to understand.

"I have always played my role as martyr. Though at times I complained, I have still always played it. Over the years, I have had a voice whispering in my head about her betrayal. Now that the voice is quiet, I understand how I wronged her. Every time I have played the role, nothing good has come from it.

"I have lost too much already to even begin to hope that any of my feelings come from a pure heart. I have done my duty, I have walked the path set out for me and yet, every time, I am thwarted by an arrogant dog. iNO MORE/i! No longer am I anyone's bitch.

"They say that I must kill that which grows within me. I will not. I cannot. This child, however ill- begotten or poor-timed its conception, will not suffer my failures. Kikyou ensured I was the perfect conduit to the shadows. Well, I am tired of being a tool. You all have your warning: do inot/i follow me." Kagome stood and began to walk out of the room. She would save her child, she would find a way.

"bNO/b!" Sesshoumaru had listened to her, and with every word he and his beast became more enraged. She denied the pup was his. She denied what he had done for her. She denied ihim/i. "bBITCH, YOU ARE MINE/b!" The roughness of his usually smooth baritone voice spoke of how completely his beast was in agreement with the statement.

In a deadpan voice, Kagome's reply sealed her death warrant. "Go to your whores. I am not yours."

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Rin had left the room without complaint. She sat in the room she had been told to wait in. Things were not supposed to be this way. From the moment she had heard that Inuyasha sought Kagome's protection through her lord, she had worried.

Madoka-sama was infamous for being a vengeful bitch. She manipulated and controlled many within the West. Rin had spent much of her time, trying to go unnoticed by the old dog. Rin knew that there was some sort of safety in being Sesshoumaru-sama's ward, but that did not protect against everything. The old bitch probably had more blood on her hands than Naraku could ever dream of.

She never understood what had caused the sour feeling in her stomach, but she did understand life within the West well enough to know there were a multitude of things that could go wrong. This was one problem she did not foresee.

Rin never thought she would live long enough to see Sesshoumaru-sama sire a pup, and she never thought hell would become cold enough him for to sire a hanyou. The reasons behind Kagome-sama's pregnancy were unknown to her, but she knew that her lord had to have a good reason for pupping her.

Rin had always looked at the stoic tai-youkai as a father of sorts. True he was not overly (or at all) affectionate with her, but the older she grew the more she noticed that no father was that way with a daughter. Sesshoumaru-sama had done his duty by her. He had ensured that she was fed, clothed, educated in the things that females should know, and provided a safe place to grow up. He had married her off to the first suitable male that vied for her attention when she became of age.

All the things that were proper for a father, an alpha, to do, he did. Many called him arrogant, but that was not fair. He was noble, both by birth and nature, and his pride was great. However, the most essential thing about Sesshoumaru-sama was that honor was not just a word used to define his character; it was a living, breathing entity that must be protected.

In order for her lord to pup the miko, his honor must have come into play. Rin had seen Kagome challenge Inuyasha's authority when she was younger. The young wife hoped that Kagome had learned better than to challenge an alpha, especially an alpha of Sesshoumaru-sama's stature.

Rin desperately wanted to be in the room with the two she loved most in the world, but it was not her place as a woman to intrude. She sat in the room all alone wondering what the future held for the West. The rebels had finally been put down, but now there was yet another reason to revolt against the reigning lord.

Rin longed for happier times, but understood that such musings would never come to fruition. What was life but one struggle after another?

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Yuichi would not fail. The last time someone needed him, he found his courage too late. Not this time. He would make it to the miko in time. He did not question why he was so in tune to her aura; he just iwas/i and her discontent was overpowering her aura.

Yuichi followed the feeling until it became so strong it was painful to push closer to her. Absently, he noted that he must be within the lord's private area of the citadel. It did not matter, nothing mattered but her.

He slide the shoji open; the room on the other side appeared to be a study of some sort. There were four beings within the study. One was the miko he sought, the second was the lord, and the two others were unknown males. The unknown cursing hanyou, was being restrained by a human. No, not just a human, but a houshi.

The houshi was trying to talk the hanyou out of attacking his brother. Oh, so this must be the hanyou that was the second son of the great Inu no Taisho. Yuichi focused on the miko's aura. There was something there, but it was hard to discern in between her aura from that of the tai-youkai, who was currently dominating her, placing her in a rather comprising position.

Sesshoumaru had ripped through her many layers of cloth, leaving her exposed to his vision, and all others in the room, for that matter. The clawed hand that had been shredding her kimono, roughly grabbed her sex. "biMINE/i/b!!"

Yuichi saw it, a third aura, but why did it look like that? Yuichi was very aware of the situation; still, he would risk his life if it helped her. He steeled himself against the inu's wrath. "Why is the aura not hanyou?"

The room stilled. Sesshoumaru regained himself to grasp the fact that he had just exposed his breeder in front of other males. His body moved cover to hers and he felt her stiffen when presented with the physical evidence of just how far he would go to prove she was his.

Kagome whimpered and shivered in terror under the youkai, seeing that she had no pathway for a physical escape. To make it all the worse, Sesshoumaru was growling at her. It was not loud; in fact, it was a soft rumble from his chest, but he was still growling at her.

"She doesn't understand you, you bastard. She's human." Inuyasha's stance had gone lax in Miroku's hold as soon as he had heard his brother's soft growl.

Kagome heard her best friend's, her protector's voice. The only lucid thought in her head was to reach him. Before Sesshoumaru understood what was happening, he looked from his prone position on the other side of the room to see his bitch cowering behind another male for protection from him.

Inuyasha noticed that he was in the directed line of path of one very pissed off tai-youkai. He had not been this confused since Kikyou had first been reanimated. He had sworn his allegiance to his brother, he had given his submission to his brother, his brother had sworn to protect Kagome, but who was to protect Kagome from Sesshoumaru? The choice was rapidly boiling down to two options: his honor or Kagome.

Miroku, well aware of the intricacies (or lack thereof) that were in play, had honed in on the one thing that might defuse the entire situation. "Kit, what do you mean the aura is not hanyou?"

Yuichi did not appreciate being the center of attention of the two sons of Inu no Taisho; however, this was for her, and she was worthy of any sacrifice. He cleared his throat and spoke with false bravado, "The little one. The aura is not that of a hanyou. She is human and obviously the sire is youkai, so why is the offspring not a hanyou?"

Miroku was intrigued. He could not see the aura of the child, but he did not doubt that the kit could. Often times kitsune had enhanced abilities to help them for survival. It was a breed that relied far more on intelligence than power. "What does it look like, if not hanyou?"

Yuichi stared at the miko's stomach, his confusion was written all over his face. "I don't know. It is most obviously not hanyou, but then it is not necessarily human or youkai. It is almost as if the aura is in flux."

Kagome paled, protectively grabbing her lower abdomen. No one saw Sesshoumaru move. One moment he was on the other side of the room, the next he was sitting in the spot where Kagome had cowered. He had her cradled in his lap, his hand over hers so that they both were protecting the pup. The two grown males were sure that the world was ending when they heard what the stoic lord said.

"The pup bwill/b be fine. This Sesshoumaru will allow no harm to come to his pack. Kagome, you will watch the pup grow up to be a strong warrior."

Kagome heard him. She had the power to fix this, but that was the problem. It was going to take power. She would have to tempt the wish to fix this. She looked at the stranger holding her. He was not the beast she knew, nor was he the pompous asshole she liked to snicker about. This male was the father of her child, he was the one willing to stand by her and fight for said child.

She moved her hand from her face to touch his. In the back of her mind, she knew this would be the first time she ever touched his face. The irony was not lost on her; this was the one who took her virginity and she had never even touched his face.

'iLions and tigers and bears, oh my.'/i

Kagome spoke softly to the male that had bound her so tightly to him, "If I tell you what I really fear, will you listen?"

Sesshoumaru knew there was more weighing on that question than her trust. In that moment she held the eyes of a sage. This tiny little slip of a woman knew exactly what was out there and why even the darkness feared it. The time had come for answers, "Hai, my breeder."

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AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

Emily


	12. Chapter 12: Pact with the Devil

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to SleepingChickenNugget and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

centeruChapter 12: Pact with the Devil/u/center

"You know that the evil and malice in the Shikon no Tama was Amatsu Mikaboshi." Kagome was only paying attention to the inu-youkai holding her. However, the houshi in the room could not stay out of an intellectual conversation.

"Excuse me, Kagome-sama. You said the evil within the jewel was Amatsu Mikaboshi? In other words, the jewel contained Midoriko's soul with a Kami, not a youkai?"

"Hai. The origin of evil, the one that was cast out of the heavens by Ama no Uzume. The goddess of dawn sent him down to earth from the heavens. In this plain his influence became less, and the stars he governed shone brighter in his absence." She still had not turned to the houshi.

Miroku was becoming confused about how a Kami got himself trapped within a jewel and voiced his confusion, "How did Midoriko trap him?"

Kagome finally turned her gaze from the one who held her; each occupant was addressed with her eyes in turn. "That will be explained, but there is much that needs to be said before the creation of the jewel becomes important. Listen.

"After Amatsu Mikaboshi was cast aside, he, like all things that survive their defeat, began to plot revenge. He knew that in order to regain his place he must understand his foes. As time passed, his interest in his foe turned into an obsession over one in particular.

"He was captivated by Amatsu-Uzume's beauty. No longer did he want to regain his old reign, but the reign that would place him next to his beauty for all eternity. He pursued with an endurance only a Kami can muster. It did not matter, at every turn she would rebuff him.

"Uzume remembered what he had been in the darkness before her dawn. He was a vile being that caused her face to contort with disgust. She pleaded with her sister, Amaterasu, to help her. Therefore, it began that Amaterasu ensured that Mikaboshi could no longer reach Uzume.

"Mikaboshi stewed in his jealousy, in his self-pity of rejection. Then delusion set in. He decided that Uzume was testing him. If he could take down Amaterasu, thereby allowing Uzume take her place as the most powerful Kami (in his mind Uzume was the most powerful because it was she who cast him out), then Uzume would no longer have a reason to refuse him.

"He used all that he could in order to have his plan come to fruition. The humans and lower-level youkai fell as easy prey. Power-lust is strongest in those creatures. Through his manipulations, youkai and human alike learned to be very suspicious of each other. It is true that there was never any great love between the two, but there was a time when they were willing to live and leave the other to their own devices.

"Amatsu Mikaboshi's power and influence began to rival the level it had been at before he was cast out. Amaterasu knew that Mikaboshi's influence needed to be stopped. His constant manipulation made it next to impossible for both youkai and humans alike to find any sort of stability within their societies. She knew that her light deterred him, but never did he come fully into the light.

"In her brightest hour she created the shadows born of and for darkness. The shadow's sole purpose was to devour Amatsu Mikaboshi. The shadows went on the hunt for their ultimate prey. The greatest trick Mikaboshi ever played was convincing the world that those sent to deliver the world from his evil were far more sinister than himself.

"The great banishment marked a turning point in the internal war between the Kami. Mikaboshi had proof that the living could be used to thwart the intentions of the Kami above. His arrogance grew when the humans warred over the validity of Shinto verses Buddhist beliefs.

"The centuries spent fighting over who was right and who was wrong, weakened the Kami's influence over this plane. Mikaboshi then sought to further dull it by destroying all those who existed in the living plane that strengthened the Kami.

"When the warrior miko Midoriko walked the earth, Mikaboshi could not ignore the threat that this one human posed to his plans. The Kami tried to draw Midoriko to the forbidden island. However, her arrogance would not let her comply.

"The shadows were evil. Even the fiercest of youkai would not tempt a shadow. It was better to leave them where they could harm none. Besides, she believed herself to be an invincible miko. So Mikaboshi engaged her in battle through the manipulation of youkai. This would be the mistake that got him trapped within the jewel.

"Midoriko sought to destroy all the youkai in one move, so she set a ring of purification and then tightened it to herself. As the ring collapsed, it drew Mikaboshi in to combine with Midoriko's soul. As she tried to purify the last of the evil, she was not strong enough to take down a Kami. She imprisoned herself and Mikaboshi within the jewel.

"He was still strong enough to manipulate those who came within a certain distance of the jewel. This is why the pull on the jewel was always so strong. Mikaboshi constantly searched for an escape. When the jewel fell into the hands of a seer, he saw a time when he could finally gain his vengeance.

"There would come a time when superstition would be replaced by science. Man's arrogance in his own knowledge would become so severe that no longer would they seek the divine advice of the Kami. Not long after the seer, did the jewel come to Kikyou.

"With every vile deed committed by the dark hanyou, I will tell you one thing he did that helped us all. Naraku's own greed and malice was so great, that Mikaboshi could not influence Naraku's wants. This is why Mikaboshi influenced Kikyou to seal you to the Goshinboku, Inuyasha, and to take the jewel with her in death.

"Within the depths of hell, out of the watchful eyes of the Kami, Mikaboshi bound the jewel to a small portion of Kikyou's soul. He poured infinite amounts of malice and hate within that bound portion of her soul. He hid in hell for centuries, because the small portion was over-looked for so long.

"The Kami knew he planned something when the jewel did not reappear quickly. Also aware that a time of weakness was approaching for them, they created a soul so great that it could hold the malice of the universe without taint. When the jewel approached the plane of the living, it was combined with this Kami created soul.

"I was never truly Kikyou's reincarnation. What I contained of Kikyou was a distorted abomination. That is why I was able to call most of my soul back on Urusue's mountain, because what I called back never belonged to Kikyou. This is also why she was so full of malice and hate. It was Mikaboshi's doing. She started to be able to override that malice when, by chance, most of her soul was returned to her.

"It is also why she could not survive after it had been ripped from her the second time. She was a good woman; her only flaw was her humanity. It is humanity that lends itself so easily to greed and arrogance. But, that is neither here nor there.

"The problem now, is that Amatsu Mikaboshi is free to move again. The conception of this little one," her hand rubbed lightly over her womb, "provided him the means to escape both myself and the shadows."

Inuyasha had listened to it all, but he had to know, "How do you not fall to the shadow's pull?"

There was a dry a laugh that emanated from the small woman. ""Fall to their pull.' No wonder they wanted so desperately to get away from here. Inuyasha, you of all people should know not to judge someone for being something they cannot control. However, to answer your question, it is my incomplete soul.

"The shadows have no need to tear their way in. It is like someone ripped the door off, and now I can no longer defend myself. Trust me; you do not want to be their food."

"So Kagome-sama, what is the plan?" Miroku's intuition told him that there was something that both Sesshoumaru and Kagome were not offering, and it had to do with the baby.

"I have no plan. I tried to walk the yellow brick road, but someone put a damn poppy field in my way. Mikaboshi will not come to me until he is sure that he can get rid of me without danger to himself."

"Then why does he not wait forty or fifty years? You'll be dead and the threat you represent will be gone," Miroku's voice was distant, and in all actuality he had not meant to state those thoughts aloud.

"No, I won't. He can no longer count on mortality to take me. Besides, there are events playing out now that he would be a fool to pass up. He knows all that I know. He was there with me when I went to school. An even scarier idea is that he probably remembers things in better detail than I could ever hope to have done."

Sesshoumaru had held his breeder tightly to him. As she went over all that she knew, he was waging an internal battle with himself. He did not want to admit to himself how important she was ito/i him, and not just because of what she carried ifor/i him. In his long life, he had met many beings of noted worth, yet all others would pale in comparison.

He would never fall into the trite notion that she was made for him, iobviously/i she was not. A slight smirk graced his features and his ego swelled as he realized that he had thwarted a plan of the Kami. How many other lords could claim that? The smirk instantly faded as he remembered the consequences of his interference.

His hand rubbed more soothingly over her womb. He iwould/i fix this. iTheir/i pup iwould/i live a long life.

She was a strong and powerful female. He would not prove his strength and power through breaking the being even the dark Kami could not taint.

Sesshoumaru began to understand his father's final words and their true meaning. "iHave you someone to protect/i?" Sesshoumaru had many to protect, but now he had someone whose protection was more precious than anything else was.

If Kagome survived this without breaking, then it did not matter what else had to be broken in the process. The West could fall. Even he, Sesshoumaru, could fall, as long as she persevered. Sesshoumaru was brought out of his musing by the voice of the very being he would lay down anything for.

"It is so quiet." She obviously had not meant to say it aloud. Sesshoumaru cocked his head at her in curiosity. "I haven't heard his voice since I awoke this morning. It has been so long since I have done things without his side comments in my head. So long. I almost feel the need now to make those remarks in his absence."

"You will not. Do not dishonor the position of Breeder of the West, by self-degradation. You are more than worthy to restore the honor to the position that had so much shame brought to it by its previous owner." Sesshoumaru's eyes never left Kagome's; she needed to have her self-esteem replenished. She needed many things, but it was her sense of worth that was imperative to their ability to save their pup.

"Come, breeder. It is time that we fix your attire." Sesshoumaru stood, while still cradling Kagome to his body. He acknowledged the others in the room, "Kit, you will remain here until we have returned. You are never to speak of what was revealed in this room. Monk, you fetch your wife. She is not to be left alone in the Citadel in her condition. This threat will be dealt with."

Inuyasha, crouched in one corner, could barely contain the whimpers that wanted to escape his throat. Why was everything being so cruel to such a pure being as Kagome?

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Rin had sat worrying. She had been more and more restless the further her pregnancy progressed. The truth was she was terrified of giving birth. It was not so much the pain, as it was all the unknowns. She wished that she could share these fears with her husband, but she could not. Every time she attempted 

to bring it up, his eyes would sparkle with the idea of finally having his child to hold, and that there was no way that Rin could ruin his happy anticipation with her fear.

Besides, giving birth was a part of the cycle of life. Rin had died twice. It was time that she started contributing to the cycle. She would have chastised herself more harshly had she noticed that there was a strange correlation between morbid thoughts and late pregnancy.

Rin was tired of being tired. As she was trying to find a comfortable position to rest in she noticed the shadow. Toto was what Kagome had called it. Rin had been so lost in thought that she had not registered how the shad-Toto had been trying to comfort her.

The little thing was producing a calming tune in hushed tones and whispers. It had pushed pillows and other items of comfort towards the pregnant woman. All the while, the shadow was very careful never to touch the woman.

Rin stared at Toto and then attempted to get closer to it. It was as Rin was attempting to regain her feet that her husband's voice came to her. "Koi, would you like some help?" Amusement was shining brightly in his deep violet eyes.

"Miroku-kun, you know how I feel about you laughing at me. It is your fault I am in this condition." Her tone was playful chastisement. Her smile was blindingly bright as she looked on her husband with love.

"Ah, my dear, I do believe that you very much enjoyed the measures I took to ensure your condition. If your memory has started to fade, I will be more than willing to refresh it." His brow waggled in a motion that was so true to his lecherous nature.

Rin reveled in her husband's need to lavish her with physical affection. She had been deprived of this aspect of life for her entire childhood. At first, she had shied away from his need to touch no matter where they were, but now she would not trade his wandering hands for the world.

"I believe, my dear husband, that the reigning lord might take offence to us using one of his private rooms in such a manor. Besides, we are in a youkai settlement. No one would allow you to exorcise anything to secure us other lodging for the night."

"Does my wife no longer find her husband attractive?"

Rin was giggling at the absurdity Miroku always seemed to create. "Is it not I that is supposed to ask that question? I am the one that continues to swell to proportions yet unknown." Her hand gingerly rubbed her swollen belly.

Miroku was in front of his wife in a moment. He knew that his wife's words were said in jest, but he could not shake the sickening feeling that had entered his being upon hearing of Sango's ending moments. "I am truly offended that you would think so low of me. You are the woman I love, the woman I married. You are the soon-to-be mother of my child. There is nothing that can be said or done for me to iever/i find you unattractive. Rin, you are an amazing woman, for whom I thank the Kami daily. Never did I think I would find a woman whom would accept me so wholly for whom I am. If I have not said it often enough, I apologize. I love you, my precious Rin."

Miroku ended his declaration with a passionate kiss, his lips pressing earnestly against those of his wife. His fingers tangled in the baby hairs at the base of Rin's head, while his thumbs tenderly stroked her jaw line. Miroku coaxed her plump bottom lip into his mouth while caressing it adoringly with his tongue. Rin was lost in her husband's affections. Her hands moved to his chest and then she raked nails against him as she moved said hands up to his powerful shoulders. Gripping him firmly, Rin tried to hoist her now heavy-laden body towards her husband.

Rin had never understood how she received such a blessing in the man before her, but she would spend the rest of her life in gratitude. It had been two years since she had become reacquainted with the monk, and to this day, she did not know for certain why he pursued her with such passion, but happiness did not need reason to be.

Both had forgotten where they were, so lost in each other that it was not until a coughing noise came from the doorway that reality came back to them.

"You two need to stop that. Lord Stuffy wants to finish the 'discussion.'" It had been a while since Inuyasha had entered a room where the scent of arousal permeated the air room so heavily.

Miroku was quick to compose himself. While helping his Rin stand, he prodded at the hanyou. "Inuyasha, just because you insist on living in a foul mood, does not mean the rest of have to as well."

"Feh, at least I'm not stupid enough to get it on in the lord's chambers. There is some serious shit going on, and yet you insist on thinking with the wrong head, ihoushi/i. Now come on, they are bound to return any moment." Inuyasha moved to return to the private study.

Rin followed behind her husband and quietly asked, "What happened that Sesshoumaru-sama and Kagome-sama had to leave?"

Miroku fumbled to answer his wife's innocent question, "Uh … Kagome-sama ran into difficulties with her … clothing."

"I thought she looked beautiful in her kimono."

"That she did, but unfortunately circumstances arose in which the lovely kimono would no longer be quite so lovely."

Rin knew her husband was talking in circles because he did not want to have tell her what had occurred in her absence. One did not have to be a genius to guess that Kagome issued a challenge to Sesshoumaru. Rin hoped that she would be allowed some time to speak, privately, with the older woman. Her lord was a noble alpha, and should be treated as such.

She knew that her lord was going to have to give Kagome-sama some time to adjust to her new role, but Kagome would need to learn to back down. It would not be fair to the pup if its parents could not be allowed in the same room together.

As Rin was just finishing up the process of settling herself, she was eagerly looking forward to the time when it wouldn't be a major ordeal to accomplish such a simple task. Soon Sesshoumaru reentered the room, followed by Kagome.

For the sake of his sanity as well as hers, he had allowed his breeder to be adorned in a much simpler outfit. She would not be making another appearance outside of his quarters tonight, so the point was moot. Sesshoumaru took his seat and Kagome moved to serve him sake. When the inu was settled, she moved to place herself upon her own cushion.

Inuyasha was tired of feeling so awkward. There was some serious shit going down and everyone else seemed more preoccupied with pleasantries. "So what are we gonna do? We ain't got time to be sittin' around."

"Inuyasha, there is far less time than you realize. However, we cannot rush into action without some sort of plan. There is much at stake. Now if you have a plan, we will gladly listen."

Yuichi watched as the hanyou's ears flattened to his head while he was admonished for his brash behavior. Something was sticking out in his mind. He made to move himself before the tai-youkai. In his prostrated position the others in the room could see his orange hair quiver as his body shook with tremors.

"My lord, may this kit question the revered breeder?" Yuichi never removed his eyes from the floor, forcing the inu to respond verbally.

"Hn." Yuichi did not have a clue what that meant. Therefore, he based his assumption off of the fact that he was still breathing.

Gathering the rest of his courage, he began, "Breeder-sama, you said that Amatsu Mikaboshi was searching for the perfect time to strike, and that the time would come when the Kami held little influence over this plane. Humanity would be the key in the weakening of their influence. You also said that there were events now that, if you were him, you would try and utilize."

Kagome stared at the kit, so like the one she had failed. Shaking the morbid memories from her head she responded, "Hai, there are."

"Then why do we not assume that he is there. He must be lured back to the shadows without him realizing what is happening until his fate is sealed. Are these events dependent on location or can they be moved closer to the shadows?"

Sesshoumaru listened to the kit; truly, his breeder had been right in the kit's worth. Yuichi was living up to the meaning of his name.

Kagome gnawed her bottom lip deep in thought. "Paradoxes and Lollypop gangs, so many things that could be."

"Breeder, you cease your babbling. No one wishes to hear of flying monkeys right now." Sesshoumaru did not use a harsh tone with Kagome; in fact, it was the gentlest voice Rin had ever heard from her lord.

Kagome snapped her attention to the tall youkai, her head nodded in agreement, "If I were Mikaboshi, I would use the Franciscans."

"Kagome-sama, you mean the foreigners that have been trying to spread their belief of one Kami and his son who was sacrificed?"

Kagome laughed. The mood in the room was considerable lightened by her reaction to the houshi's words. After she calmed herself, she noticed the looks the others in the room were giving her, "I am sorry, but if they heard you describe it that way you might find yourself burning on a stake."

"How is that funny?"

"It's not. What I was laughing at was his inability to grasp a religion that will infuse itself across the world in the future. It is not that it will be universally believed, but knowledge of it will be common."

Sesshoumaru growled because he knew of the religion she spoke. "These foreigners are from the far reaches of the continent?"

"Hai. Portugal if I remember correctly. That does not matter; what matters is that the more converts the Christians create, the weaker the influence of the Kami becomes. Therefore, Mikaboshi would be isolated most from the Kami, when he is in the domain that the Franciscans occupy."

"Feh, what good does it do us to know where he is, if we ain't got nothing to use against him?"

"Maybe there is something within these Chris-Christians' beliefs that can help?" Rin had stayed quiet for as long as she could, but things were not good. For the future of her child she would risk being reprimanded.

"Hai, they believe in miracles, proof of divine intervention, in order to validate their beliefs." She smiled brightly at Rin. It was perfect.

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Madoka stared at the youkai walking before her. He was young, but of a malleable age. He definitely had ambition, but obviously no family to speak of, for if he had, he would not be here. He would do.

A cruel smile played across her features that could almost be considered beautiful. Those fools had given her the perfect tool to set her plans into motion. "So, soldier, do you have a name?"

Kuro had felt the old bitch's eyes on his back ever since they had left the Citadel. He was never drinking again. Well, that would be a little extreme. He was never drinking with unknown drinking buddies. Oh, and the next kitsune he saw, he was beating the shit out of him.

The old dog was still trying to talk to him. There would be no good that would come from conversing with her. Yes, he was ambitious, but also understood that many thought his lack of status made him blind because of his ambition. The truth was quite the opposite; because of his status, he had seen many with blind ambition become the patsies of those more powerful than them.

All the female knew how to do was manipulate; she was renowned for her intelligence. If he played this right, he might just come out of this assignment with far more.

"My name is Kuro, Madoka-sama."

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AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

Emily


	13. Chapter 13

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to SleepingChickenNugget and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

centeruChapter 13: Falling Short of Rainbows/u/center

He had long since left the breeder on her futon to rest. The kit had nestled into her form, and Sesshoumaru had debated on whether or not to allow the kit to stay. In the end, he decided that Kagome deserved the comfort that she was deriving from the kit.

When he exited the room where the mother of his pup was resting, he had briefly considered visiting Miyu again. The decision against it was easily made when he remembered how little satisfaction was gained from the last visit. Besides, he had a certain inu guard to track down.

While the kit's arrival this night had been most opportune, it did not excuse Tadashi's failure to watch the kit. Sesshoumaru headed towards the barracks. It was time to have a good round in the dojo.

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Tadashi wondered if this was how Kuro felt, only hours before. As Tadashi stared at the rectangular piece of paper just outside of his reach, he pondered his own stupidity for falling for the same trick he had helped the kit place on at least ten others this very day.

He was dead. He had let childhood antics get in the way of his responsibilities. There was no way that Yuichi had not made his way to the breeder by this point. That meant that there was nothing to protect Tadashi from his lord's wrath in failing to properly to care for the kit. Damn.

The depressing thoughts had taken away all the mirth gained from tormenting fellow soldiers. When he thought mood his could not get any lower, he realized a presence was approaching that he had hoped to not see for a while.

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Sesshoumaru had not had a day filled with so many hilarious incidents in as long as he could remember. Too bad none of the slapstick comedy would lighten his current mood.

"Tadashi, how do you explain your disgrace to the West?" Sesshoumaru's voice was sharp; he was in no mood to deal with foolish dogs.

"Because my lord, I allowed myself to be tricked by a kit?" There was nothing but respect in Tadashi's voice.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru walked over and ripped the piece of paper that was ensuring Tadashi stayed pinned. "You will meet this Sesshoumaru in the dojo in five minutes. There is much to be done."

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Kagome sat comfortably under the shade of the sakura trees with Rin. Neither woman knew where to begin. Kagome was the first to break the silence.

"Rin-chan, may I ask how you and Miroku ended up together?" Kagome knew it was none of her business but she could not comprehend how they would ever have the chance to fall in love.

"I was in a village to the south of here visiting a potential future husband. At any rate, I was not overjoyed at the prospect of being married off to some merchant's son, but Sesshoumaru-sama had deemed me of marrying age." Rin had a small smile on her face as she stretched her body into a more 

comfortable position for the story. "While I was looking at some wares in the town market, I suddenly felt a hand upon my person."

"Oh no. He stilled tried to use the 'cursed hand' act?" Kagome could not help but have her heart lightened by Rin exuberance.

"Hai. However, he quickly apologized to me for any slight when he recognized who I was. He offered to accompany me to meet my future husband as the 'protector of my modesty.' I could not believe he managed to say it with a straight face." Both women were giggling at the well-known antics of a rather amorous monk. "However, Master Jaken did not take well to Miroku's presence and immediately proceeded to beat him with the staff of two heads. As the morning had been anything but boring, the afternoon of proper introductions was very tedious.

"The merchant decided that his family would need more compensation if he was going to allow his son to marry a woman of 'questionable morals.' Needless to say, the meeting was a brief one after that, and I am not sure how well the merchant's family faired after his slight to Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin shook her head trying to dispel any foul images of the possible fate of the merchant. Greed was indeed, a very ugly thing.

"Oh, but Rin-chan, I still don't understand how Miroku groping you leads to matrimony." If Miroku was still in his lecherous ways, how would he have ever convinced Sesshoumaru that he was the proper man for the tai-youkai's ward?

"When we left the village, Miroku-kun followed us, stating that he was lending his expertise to help ensure my safe return. The journey was not long, but I often found myself laughing at Miroku-kun's antics. It had been a while since I felt that much joy, it was almost as if I were a child again picking flowers in a field.

"When we finally reached the Citadel, Miroku-kun requested that he be granted a private audience with Sesshoumaru-sama. To this day, I have no I idea what was said behind those closed doors; all I know is that upon his emergence from the parlor Miroku-kun walked right up to me. He took my hands in his, looked deeply into my eyes, and asked; 'Rin-san, would you do me the honor of bearing my child?' I was so flustered that he would dare do something so unkempt in front of Sesshoumaru-sama that I slapped him." The smile on Rin's face as she retold the story of her husband's proposal warmed Kagome in a 

way that she had not felt since before her family's death. "His response to my reaction was simple. 'If you refuse to have my children, then I don't know how well this marriage is going to work.' His smile was so charming and warm that I knew it would not take me long to fall in love with the man who was to be my husband.

"I asked him shortly after we were married why he wanted me and do you know what he said?" Kagome shook her head in the negative, too enthralled with the possible answer that she did not have the ability to respond verbally. "He told me that I held happiness in my soul that made all the horrors he had faced worthwhile, as long as that happiness did not fade. Every day since that one, he has always made sure to make me laugh at least once. I do not delude myself into thinking that there was some sort of great love between us before our wedding but I know that before our grave there will be."

Kagome looked at the woman before her and it hit her, "Rin-chan, where was I when you grew up?"

Rin got a sad look in her eyes; it was hard to see the once happy miko such a ghost of herself. "Time does not stop just because we lose ourselves."

"Time…," Kagome's eyes glassed over as she stared at some distant horizon, "so fleeting, yet infinite. I think that there is never enough now, too much then, and unknown amounts of if. If I fix my transgressions I still don't believe my ruby slippers will carry me home."

"Kagome-sama, how did you become the breeder?" Rin was done with tact. It was obvious that the woman's grasp of sanity was transient at best.

"That is a tale I wish never to tell. I followed the yellow brick road and was prepared to spend my destiny at its end. I don't think that Sesshoumaru-sama appreciated my sacrifice." Kagome could not face the girl who had idolized her rapist so. He was not a horrible being that deserved to lose the respect of those closest to him; Kagome could not destroy Rin's image of her lord.

"Kagome-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama sees himself as your alpha. You can judge him on the standards of human society, but that is fair to neither of you." Rin had shifted to hold the other woman's hands. Rin knew more about her lord than most could claim, and she knew that his treatment of this woman last night was more than just instinct. "Sesshoumaru-sama is far older than many here want to believe. 

Master Jaken knows the reasons and history of it far better than I do, but you need to understand that the light in which you view his actions distorts the intent behind them."

Kagome looked at the girl turned woman before her, the tears spilling from her eyes. How had things come to this? When did the rainbow turn back into the rain cloud? "I don't understand any of it. I don't want to hate him, but I can't forgive him so easily. He took the last of my purity. Why couldn't he leave me in that cave? It was what was best for everyone, but now our baby is offered up as some penance for our failures." Kagome folded over on herself and silently sobbed into her own lap.

"What do you mean the pup is at risk?" Rin was now very worried. If all she had heard about Sesshoumaru-sama was correct, then there was no telling what would happen if an inu-youkai of his age lost his first born.

Kagome did not bother to raise her head. She did not have the energy necessary to accomplish that feat. "The timing of the conception left the baby vulnerable. If I do not purge the link between the child and Amatsu-Mikaboshi, then this child will not be Sesshoumaru-sama's pup, but Mikaboshi's bastard. A tool for the dark Kami that needs to be destroyed."

Rin withdrew from the distraught woman. What had this being ever done to deserve such a fate? Rin had no idea how to comfort her; she had no idea how to begin to assuage the fears running rampant through Kagome's soul.

This was the scene he perceived when Yuichi approached the two women. He had heard the end of their conversation, and while he did not mean to eavesdrop he was glad that he did.

"Breeder-sama, the hope is still there. The aura fluctuates, so Mikaboshi has not been able to form a complete link with the pup. In addition, the pup's sire is strong. He will be able to protect both you and the pup." Yuichi had never met a youkai with such power as the tai-youkai; there could be nothing strong enough to threaten this great dog.

Kagome heard the confidence with which Yuichi spoke and knew that the kit believed whole-heartedly what he was saying. She felt the smile that wanted to spread across her face. She reached out to the kit 

and brushed his bangs from his eyes, so green. "His strength is great, and you are right: I should not doubt it."

Her words were empty, but she could not let herself despair in front of the youth any longer.

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Miroku was not sure what his hanyo friend wanted of him. Inuyasha was right; the Kagome that they once knew was lost. However, Miroku was not sure that it was possible to salvage her. What was with the hanyo's propensity to become entangled with damned women?

"My friend, what is it you wish me to accomplish by being here?"

"Feh." Inuyasha had no idea. Hell, that was why he fetched the monk in the first place. "You've seen how the bastard treats her. She ain't no bitch, she doesn't understand. She is going to push him so hard he'll kill her." Inuyasha gave the appearance of a kicked puppy left out in the rain.

"Then I suggest we try and educate iher/i instead of ihim/i."

"Why should she have to be the one to change?"

"Inuyasha, ideally neither of them should have to change, but this situation is far from ideal. I think our best chance is to talk with Kagome about the behavior that is likely to get her killed."

Inuyasha stared at the ground. "It's not fair; she shouldn't have to change."

"Inuyasha, I do not believe the Kagome you remember exists anymore. I cannot imagine what happened to her since the final battle, but the woman here is not the Kagome we knew. The Kagome we knew would never willingly accept the fate she described. Yes, Kagome was always a selfless person, 

but what she was willing to do is not the act of a selfless person but a desperate one." Miroku knew he had to convince the stubborn hanyo in front of him. "I pray that we can bring back our friend. I pray that she has a chance for happiness. I pray that we win this battle against impossible odds. I pray for all these things, yet I fear that my prayers will not be answered. From what she divulged last night, she was never destined to know happiness. I fear the best we can do now is help her come to peace with the path she must walk."

"No. I don't wanna hear it monk. If I have to kill the Kami above, I will. She will know more than being a sacrifice for others' sins." Inuyasha growled the warning to his houshi friend. He would cut down all that stood in the way of her happiness. She had sacrificed enough already. She deserved better.

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"Kagome-sama, have you acknowledged Sesshoumaru-sama as your alpha?" Rin threw subtly to the wind. The older woman did not understand anything about her position. She was going to cause embarrassment to Sesshoumaru-sama if no one took the time to explain it to her.

"Hai. He forced a public admittance of his status above me." Kagome did not want to talk about this.

"Do you understand at all what rights you have given to him?" Rin surmised from Kagome's horrified expression that she had no clue. "He is your alpha. It is his right, his ihonor/i, to make all the important decisions in your life. He banished Madoka-sama in order to ensure your safety." Rin reached out to turn Kagome's face towards hers. "If he did not want you as his breeder, than he would have allowed his mother to kill you."

Kagome gasped at her declaration. "Wouldn't he have to have killed his mother in return for the slight?" Kagome hated how weak her voice sounded.

"Yes, but that is far from a deterrent. In fact, many would find the old bitch's death a bonus. She is not a pleasant being. Sesshoumaru-sama only has one niece remaining out of at least thirty nieces and nephews born. Madoka-sama's visits to her grand pups are often timed coincidentally close to their deaths. Never was any of this proven, but there is validity in the rumors about the previous breeder."

Kagome could not quite wrap her mind around the new information. She knew the bitch was vile, but to kill her own grandchildren? What would be gained from such an atrocity?

"Kagome-sama, I am not trying to horrify or offend you. What I want is for you to better understand what is going on around you. From everything that I gather about inu-youkai, Sesshoumaru-sama will be acting on instincts that will be nearly impossible for him to ignore. If you push him to prove his dominance, he will. He will not stop in this pursuit until he has found a method that you recognize. I gather from your previous statements that the conception of your pup was not a coming together of mutual affections."

Rin held up her hand to forestall the other's protests. "There is nothing that can be done to convince me that my lord is not honorable. Whatever his reasons were for entering into this union, believe me when I tell you they were honorable.

"That being said, you need to understand that you are his. The ownership of that statement carries beyond the concept of an object to be coveted. You are his to protect. You are his to honor. You are his to icherish/i. You are that which he will protect the fiercest. Obedience will be met with reward. Denial of his status will be corrected and punished."

Kagome had heard enough. This was wrong. She knew that in this time women held little value, but she had not been raised with these ideals. While it was well known that men and women were not equally matched both physically, that did not make women inferior. There were several areas where women constantly outpreformed men and vice versa. However, all this intellectual babble boiled down to was one thing. iShe was not his whore!/i

"If he wanted an obedient dog, then ithat/i is what he should have impregnated. I have never and will never play the role of a subservient house-wife well." Kagome allowed all the bitterness of every situation she had been forced to endure come through in her declaration.

"You are not a 'house-wife' as you say. You are mother to the future heir of the West. Do you have any idea at the feat you have accomplished? Demonesses have tried and failed for centuries to gain this position that you so easily scoff at."

"I was never meant to be valued as a womb. I was never to have anything that was my own. Now, because of some dog that no one bothered to snip, I risk bringing to this earth a vessel for evil, the likes of which has never been seen before. Rin, you do not know what lies in the dark, the evil that creeps and pulls-"

"Yes, iI/i do! I have died twice already. I have been pulled from the very depths of hell. iDO NOT/i tell me of the horrors that lurk in the dark, I remember what it feels like to have them latch onto your soul." Rin rose to her feet awkwardly, and began to head back inside. She could not listen to someone who had been presented with such great opportunity despair anymore. Before she left the other completely she turned back with one last piece of wisdom to impart. "Life is struggle and pain. The only thing that keeps us from going numb is learning to grab the moments of happiness and hold onto them with all our strength."

Kagome stared blankly at the place where Rin's form had disappeared. Kagome knew that she was right, but at the same time, she was wrong. To have this contradiction turn out to be the truth was beyond her comprehension. She wanted to throw herself down into the comforter on her bed and cry until her mother came to hold her.

Kagome realized that she had spent much of the last five years wanting things that would never be. Was she really a spoiled little girl who could not accept reality? iSomewhere over the rainbow …/i

Kagome turned back to see Yuichi expectantly waiting for her to do something. She studied his face more carefully. He had done something wrong. He was well intentioned, but he had definitely done something wrong.

"Yuichi, what did you do?" The kit's eyes grew impossibly large and his whole body trembled. Kagome almost laughed. "I am not going to hurt you. As you have just noticed, I make many mistakes. The thing to do is to face your mistakes and learn from them. So, I will ask you again, what did you do?"

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Tadashi was sore. He had spent most of the night being the tai-youkai's personal chew toy. Honestly, he did not realize that his body could mend so many minor wounds in such a short amount of time. He had gained one thing of insight he deemed worthy. He never wished to experience the sensation of flying ever again. Actually, that was not quite accurate. The sensation of flying did not make up for the feeling of the abrupt landings.

Now he found himself out on the road again. He had been sent to retrieve Sesshoumaru-sama's niece. Though he was not sure why it was important to bring another high ranking female into the Citadel so shortly after a breeder had been chosen, it was not his place to question his lord. His mind wandered back to the lord's reaction when he discovered that it had been Kuro who was chosen to escort Madoka-san to the island home.

Tadashi stopped dead in his tracks. Really, when had his brain become so useless? It was not until the Sesshoumaru-sama learned that Kuro, a young, unmated male, had been chosen to escort the used bitch to her exile that, he had demanded that his niece be brought within his watchful eye. The old bitch was crafty, but did she really think highly enough of herself to start an outright revolt against her son?

Tadashi shook his head. All he wanted to do was play tricks with the kit. He would endure being on the receiving end of the kit's pranks occasionally, as long as they were funny.

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Sesshoumaru had been searching out the hanyo. There were things that needed to be discussed whether he wanted to or not. Jaken had been given the task of trailing his breeder.

He heard the voice of the monk and from the tone, it sounded like the houshi was trying to explain something to the stubborn hanyo. "iInuyasha, I do not believe the Kagome you remember exists anymore. I cannot imagine what happened to her since the final battle, but the woman here is not the Kagome we knew. The Kagome we knew would never willingly accept the fate she described. Yes, Kagome was always a selfless person, but what she was willing to do is not the act of a selfless person but of desperate one. I pray that we can bring back our friend. I pray that she has a chance for happiness. I pray that we win this battle against impossible odds. I pray for all these things, yet I fear that my prayers will not be answered. From what she divulged last night, she was never destined to 

know happiness. I fear the best we can do now is help her come to peace with the path she must walk/i."

No. She would not be abandoned to that cold dirt floor. The monk would pay for his words. Sesshoumaru increased his pace to exact his retribution for his breeder. It was the hanyo's voice that rang out next. "iNo. I don't wanna hear it monk. If I have to kill the Kami above, I will. She will know more than being a sacrifice for others' sins/i."

Good, his brother understood loyalty; he would be spared. The monk looked like he was just about to reply when the nearly red-eyed tai-youkai entered the room. The monk sensed impending doom.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I-" Miroku's words were cut off along with his air supply. Inuyasha tried to approach to help his friend, but was stopped by his brother's growl.

iThis/i was the man he had deemed worthy of his ward? Would this monk be so quick to abandon Rin in iher/i time of need? "You have one chance to tell this Sesshoumaru why you should be spared."

Miroku was not stupid; he had quickly figured out that the very pissed dog had heard his comment and then said dog interpreted it as a threat to his pack. He hoped his words were was enough to cause pause in the angry inu-youkai's actions. "The pup." The words straggled out from stressed vocal cords.

Inuyasha who understood immediately what his houshi friend was trying to say. "Sesshoumaru, the more holy power that can be harnessed to cut the link to Amatsu Mikaboshi, the better."

Sesshoumaru's grip lessened on the houshi's neck, though still not willing to let go until he was sure there was no threat to his bitch. "Explain your previous statement."

Miroku took a much-needed gulp of air and then fell into an explanation of his statement to Inuyasha. "I was not trying to suggest that we allow Kagome to become what the Kami intended her to be. I was trying to impress upon Inuyasha, that the Kagome he remembers from eight years ago will probably 

never come back. Too much has happened to her; there is no way that she has not been tainted in some form by her constant interactions with Mikaboshi over the last five years.

"In fact, I believe the reason why she disappeared was to limit the amount of taint he could cause. If she was not interacting with anyone, then there would be no one for her to disappoint, fail, or betray-" Miroku stared in horror at the snarling youkai before him. Never in his life had he been more afraid of soiling himself.

"This Sesshoumaru's breeder is incapable of betraying anyone."

"Of course not, but that does not mean she does not view her own actions as betrayals. Mikaboshi's strong hold was around her mind, so it logically follows that the transgressions merely needed to be perceived not actual." Please, if he survived this encounter, he swore he would never publically embarrass Rin again with his lecherous ways.

"Do you see this Sesshoumaru's breeder as iweak/i?"

"No, but it is not a matter of how I perceive her. The limitation here is how she perceives herself. I sense within Kagome-sama vast amounts of power, yet she does not use this power. In fact, she seems to expend most of her energy trying to seal the power away. She is scared of it for some reason. I believe, in order to move forward, the reason must be discovered and then a solution found for the root if the problem."

Sesshoumaru backed away from the monk. He had not once tried to pass any falsehood off. It was actually impressive, because when most beings are as frightened as he was, they begin stating whatever they think their inquisitor wants to hear. The monk had enough control over his fear to answer everything honestly. Yes, the monk was a worthy match for his ward.

Turning his attention towards his brother, Sesshoumaru decided it was time for answers. "Monk, you will go tend to your wife. Brother, you will tell this Sesshoumaru everything you failed to divulge before."

It would most likely be a long day.

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	14. Chapter 14: One Word

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to angelic memories and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

centeruChapter 14: One Word/u/center

Kuro repressed the shudder. That was utterly horrible. How did the great Inu no Taisho manage to sire two pups with this … this … this sack of rice?

He knew he was young and maybe had some unrealistic ideals about rutting, but come on. Was it really supposed to be this horrible, to prefer your own hand to the readily available female heat under you? This was just wrong, and now he felt the need to vomit.

True she was beautiful and intelligent, but the second quality was under scrutiny. How intelligent could she be if she could not figure out how to rut enjoyably? No wonder the great Inu no Taisho never elevated her above the status of breeder. There were not enough concubines to offset the horrible feel of this withered wench.

"Kuro-kun, do you believe the new breeder will bring glory to the West?" a voice broke through his thoughts of displeasure.

"Madoka-sama, do you not believe the lord would not choose wisely?" he was quite pleased with himself for not letting his disgust drift into his voice.

"Are not humans inherently weak creatures? How many things do they so easily forfeit their lives to?" her voice purred in what she probably thought was a seductive tone; nevertheless, Kuro had no desire to repeat earlier catastrophes.

"True, but that would be why the lord would guard his new breeder with extra vigor."

"Do not delude yourself into believing the lord has any sense of pack," the words dripped with venom. "He spent many centuries wandering alone, no sense of pack pulling him back. He was the sole cause of the massacre the night of the ihanyou's/i birth. He refused to aid his noble father the night the great Inu no Taisho fell. Finally, he has banished his own mother to exile. The igreat/i lord has no love for a sense of pack. Tell me, Kuro-kun, how can the West rise to greatness with such a selfish leader?" Madoka could almost believe her own little speech. The twit would do nicely; he was proving to be easily manipulated.

"How indeed," Kuro repressed the urge to kill the bitch for her blasphemy. No, he would play his role as pawn for a while longer.

Kuro sent up a silent prayer that his new position did not require him ever to rut the wench again. Really, he was not sure that he had a strong enough will to overcome the feeling of revulsion.

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Sesshoumaru was restless within his own home. The scent of his bitch was driving him to the brink of insanity. It had been two days since his conversation with his brother.

It was a fairly uneventful talk. The miko had gone off to train immediately after the final battle. No one knew to look for her until she had already disappeared from the shrine she was training at a half a year before.

She had wandered through the Japanese countryside without youkai or human seeing her for over two and half years. He was not sure how many creatures alive could actually accomplish that feat. Inuyasha found her shortly after the reports of shadow attacks had started to appear.

Damn. He needed to have a talk with his bitch. Damn.

Sesshoumaru stopped himself from growling. In all honesty, he had been avoiding the infuriating woman, not willing to risk having to force her submission. However, the beast within Sesshoumaru wanted his bitch to challenge his status again, therein giving it the perfect reason to ire-scent/i her.

He had not returned to the concubines; there was no true release or satisfaction to be found with those females. Really, how could any self respecting youkai female allow a lowly ningen to best her in bed?

Sesshoumaru turned towards the dojo and then allowed the growl to escape. He would find none worth his time there. His last itch had caused Inuyasha to be bed ridden for the next few days. Damn.

The scent was everywhere. Why? Maybe he could find another way to have his scent encase hers? Yes, then the damn beast would calm down. It certainly did not upset him that the female carrying his pup no longer carried his scent.

The bitch should be begging to be re-scented. Did she not know what an honor had been bestowed on her? No, of course not, she was still rambling on about her purity. Wait, not purity but virtue. Whoever instilled her values, he was going to enjoy watching them melt from his poison claws.

He was a lord. This should not be a problem. However, his beast ensured that it took him too much effort to attempt rutting any other female besides his bitch. Self-gratification had been, still was, and forever will be beneath one of his status.

She was his breeder; it was her right, her honor, her iduty/i to tend to his needs. Did the human understand this? Obviously, she needed to not only be educated in proper submission, but also 

ipositioning/i of pack mates. A tiny smile crept across the inu-youkai's face as thought of her proper ipositioning/i.

That was not going to happen. His bitch was more concerned with golden bricks, flying monkeys, jeweled slippers, and her shadow, Toto. He was still confused about these ideas, not to mention that it was more frustrating trying to understand how they all fit together.

What Kami did he cross? Sesshoumaru knew the answer to that question.

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Kagome was hiding. She could claim that it was something else, but in fact, it was hiding.

There was something incredibly humbling about being told of your own childishness from a person who your last memory is of that person of being a child. Rin had grown into a woman, not only in age but in maturity as well. It made Kagome wonder when she stopped trying to attain adulthood.

Toto had needed to feed again; Kagome shook the last set of memories from her mind. She needed to speak with Sesshoumaru. Tremors racked her body; the last thing she wanted to do was be in the same room as the arrogant dog.

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Michi stared at the back of the soldier before her. The nervous apprehension she felt when he arrived at her family's home had yet to dissipate. Her father, her alpha, had nearly killed the youkai who came demanding her presence at the Western Citadel. It had been several tense moments before the soldier had explained that it was at the request of the lord, not the breeder: her grandmother, and then her father informed her she would be leaving.

"Tadashi-san, do you know why my presence is necessary?" she hated the fact that her fear was detectable in voice, but there was no avoiding it.

Michi had witnessed the deaths of the last ten of her siblings. There were two beings she feared: her mother and her grandmother. Her alpha had tried his best to limit her mother's influence and interaction in her life. However, her mother was a true bred bitch, meaning that she believed her rank to be Kami sent.

Michi feared all females thanks to her mother and grandmother, and males did nothing to set her at ease. She had spent her entire life knowing she was nothing more than a pawn and as soon as her usefulness was expended, so would be her life. She only breathed now because she was the first-born female to her mother. Her mother never bothered to name any of her sisters claiming, "iWhat is the point? They have no use or meaning in this life and will probably not be strong enough to live to see the world/i."

All her sisters died before they were old enough to open their eyes. Another shudder went through her body as she waited for a reply from the tall soldier.

"No, Michi-sama." Tadashi would never have believed that the lord's niece was such a timid creature. She had managed to pull at all of his protective instincts. "I believe that it has something to do with the exile of Madoka-sama."

He heard a gasp from behind him. "How is that possible? Unless … has the lord mated?"

He could not help but laugh at her child-like nativity. "No, the lord has found his own breeder. Your grandmother let her … disapproval be known."

"Oh?" Michi was confused. Grandmother had gotten away with killing all her grand-pups except one. What did uncle do to upset the old conniving bitch that she forgot to cover her tracks? "Is there honor once again for the position of breeder?"

The last question caught Tadashi so off guard that his step faltered. He turned to stare into the pale lilac eyes of the petite female and saw that only scared honesty resided in those eyes. "The new breeder is not what many would have thought her to be. She is powerful, though there is much more to her than power. I have been witness to her compassion for complete strangers. Come little one, there is nothing to fear."

The comfort that could be found did not only come from his words, his calm silver eyes imploring her to trust him. She stealthily scented the air. He at least believed what he was telling her to be true. At times, she wished there was good in the world.

"So I am to be kept at the Citadel. That way no one can use me to claim rights to the West. If I had known, I would have said good-bye to mother."

"Why?"

"Madoka-sama has killed grand-pup after grand-pup to ensure her sole control over the great Inu no Taisho pure blood line, outside of Sesshoumaru-sama. Do you really think that she will view her own daughter's life as any different from the lives of her grand-pups?"

"That is interesting, but why will you be spared?"

"Madoka-sama holds the right to name my mate. I am still a useful pawn." Michi walked past the stunned soldier. The sooner the Citadel was reached the sooner she would know her fate.

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Rin was enjoying her stay at the Western Citadel. She felt slightly guilty for her harsh words to Kagome, but it was better she correct the older woman than her lord. Besides, it was nice to be able to sleep most of the time and still have food prepared.

She had noticed in the past few weeks how tired she became after doing the simplest of chores. It was pleasant to be able to spend time with her husband; very soon, this would no longer be possible. Idly she speculated whether he would maintain his lecherous ways after the child's birth. In all probability, yes.

A smile graced her face as she thought of her husband and his roaming hands.

"Ah my dear, I see you are awake," Rin turned to see her husband smiling down at her.

"Have I been ignoring my husband? For if I have it is a very grievous crime, indeed." She began the momentous task of beginning to rise from the floor. Once standing, she looked down. Huh, she could have sworn that she did have feet. Oh the joys of pregnancy.

"I find myself more than adequately watched within these walls. Though not as sweet as your attentions, there is ample here to occupy my mind while you rest." Miroku began to guide his wife towards the dining hall. "In fact, I am quite sure it is game to see who can avoid the lord's temper the longest. Alas, Inuyasha can no longer provide distraction, leaving the rest us as targets."

"Hold your tongue, dear ihusband/i. Though I may be your wife, I will not let you speak ill of my lord." She could not even finish that statement with a straight face. The game of dodge the pissed off inu tai-youkai was an old tradition passed down through the generations of the West. This entire jest about Sesshoumaru-sama's moods brought Rin's thoughts back to a subject that had considerable less levity. "Has anyone seen Kagome-sama?"

"I do believe that Kagome-sama has been taking lessons from Toto on how to move without detection. From what I have gathered even Yuichi has not seen her since that day in the gardens."

"Miroku-kun, do you understand why she talks about a yellow brick road?"

The twinkle came back into her husband's eyes, "I believe that she is referencing to a fable no one here has heard before. It was probably one she used as a child to overcome some tragedy," so content in their conversation with each other the voice behind took them by complete surprise.

"It was my father and uncle's death. They were lost in the same accident." Kagome looked at the two of them and then smiled in Rin's direction. "Have you been getting enough rest?"

"Hai, Kagome-sama. Have you been finding peace?"

"As much as to be had when in solitude with no real answers to reflect on. Just like you said Rin, time does not stop even if we lose ourselves."

Kagome brushed past both the houshi and his wife. She was not angry with Rin for her words, but she saw no point in holding a private conversation publicly. "Come, there is another joining us this evening."

Yuichi scampered after the former miko. He was happy to see that she was starting to talk to the others again.

"Who could she be talking about?"

"I have no idea, my dear. Let us attend dinner and find out." Miroku approached this development with a beaming grin on his face.

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Michi stared at the daunting stone wall of the Western Citadel; this was as good a place to die as home. She had not noticed that she was no longer moving forward until Tadashi turn back to see what was wrong. Maybe she wanted to live more than she realized.

"Today is not the day. Welcome to the Western Citadel, grand-pup of the great Inu no Taisho."

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"Sesshoumaru-sama," he turned to see his breeder kneeling before him with her neck bared. As much as he desired to suppress his instincts, he could not. She had become very adept at suppressing her scent. She would flood an area with her scent and then rein it back in so that no one could track her by this method. It was part of the reason he had itched within his own chambers. His beast demanded to know the truths that only her scent revealed.

Striding over to where she knelt, he reached down and scooped his hand behind the base of her head. In a swift motion, she was up on her feet with the tai-youkai's nose buried in the crook of her neck. Kagome let off a strangled sound of surprise as the male continued to scent her.

Sesshoumaru was having a very hard time reining his beast back. The damn dog was reveling in the scent of their pupped female, and it also knew that the longer it stayed in physical contact the more of his scent she would carry. Even he was not opposed to drench the woman in his scent, both iinside/i and out.

Kagome was starting to worry that maybe something was wrong with the baby. Why else would the Lord Ice Prick still be sniffing her? "Um … is everything okay?" The whisper was not audible to the others in the room.

Drawing in her scent one last time, he straightened his posture. Cold, calculating amber orbs stared into the sea of sapphire. Yes, his bitch would protect their pup with everything she had and she would devote the motherly affections that he had never received. Good bitch.

"The pup is healthy. Now it is time eat." Sesshoumaru immediately went to take his seat. He was lord; he did not have to explain that display to any being.

Miroku found himself completely speechless. Had the stoic Western Lord inuzzled/i Kagome? Maybe Rin was right when she said that things were bound to get interesting. He had always been under the impression that a youkai of Sesshoumaru's grade had more control over their baser instincts. Oh well, hopefully Kagome was not going to push Sesshoumaru too hard tonight. The display proved that he was already having trouble controlling his impulses.

Yuichi followed the two humans to where their cushions were placed. The kit had no desire to die this evening and if he risked mixing his scent on the breeder that might just be the outcome.

Kagome regained herself after only a moment of staring at the arrogant dog with an incredulous look. She knelt down beside her lord to serve him for the meal. She noticed that every time she came close to him, he would lean his head toward her and sniff. After the eighth time of this happening, she was just about to cause a scene when a familiar inu guard and an unknown female entered the dining area.

Tadashi noticed the awkward air in the room, his silver eyes scanning quickly trying to discern the cause. His eyes stopped and he audibly gulped as he noticed the red hue to his lord's orbs.

Sesshoumaru and beast had been enjoying his bitch's scent as she moved about him; it had been years since he had felt so relaxed. Of course this pleasantness was not to last. A not too familiar male entered into his room and then began to survey the room for weakness. Sesshoumaru, vaguely aware that he definitely knew this male, snarled at the brown haired inu.

Kagome had no idea what was wrong with the damn dog. She now found herself pinned to the over grown Chihuahua's back. Placing her hands on his back, she gathered some ki within her hands. The ki released into the savage beast as she rubbed calming circles on his back.

'Warm tingles;' it was the only way he could think to describe the sensation that was overcoming him. His breeder was trying to sooth his overzealous protection of his bitch and pup. As his growls tapered off, she moved to step from behind him. No, he was not ready to release her yet. It was one of the few times that she had willingly touched him. He pressed her form more firmly into his body, a low rumble from his chest was meant to let her know his pleasure in her actions.

Instead of her relaxing into him, she stiffened and tried more fervently to pull away from him. This was not right. No, this open defiance of his affection would not be tolerated. Did she want him to prove to all in the room who it was that owned her?

The male was not a threat; he had submitted. Sesshoumaru turned to face his disobedient breeder and stilled. She feared him. No, this was more than fear; she was terrified. There was no trust in those expressive eyes.

In that moment, the world crashed down on him. He succeeded where all others had failed; he managed to make this Kami-created creature of forgiveness condemn him. The hollow victory rang in an echo across the abyss that was his soul.

Slowly his hand reached to caress her cheek. The female was so paralyzed with terror that she could not even flinch when he made contact. Wrong, this was so wrong. She was his, and he … he was hers. If their pup had any sort of a chance, he needed her. That was it. He needed her. Not for the pup, not for anyone else besides himself. She was his last chance for pack, for family.

Everything he had done was for duty and honor. He spent centuries in exile for the 'good of the West,' he killed his own for the human hime, he abandoned his father to die, denounced his brother, suffered his mother, and had broken this woman; all for the sake of honor. He broke the woman who stood strong against the dark Kami. He was the monster they claimed him to be. No more. His first act of contrition would be now.

Staring deep into those frigid golden gateways, Kagome noticed the subtle change. They were opening, and she was drowning. He bent his head towards her, and for a moment she was scared he was going to kiss her, but instead his cheek nuzzled hers. The action was so gentle and pleading it was heartbreaking. She wanted to surrender to the warmth it promised. Tears she had fought for years at the denial of home pricked her eyes. The outside world was no more, he was here, her heart stopped and her breath hitched. One word ghosted across the shell of her ear. One word that gave her hope and the only word that would cause her to amend previous thoughts of condemnation.

"Please."

That was something that 'this Sesshoumaru' would not be repeating, but once was more than enough. If he could bend this far, she would begin to understand. Her acceptance of his offering was small, but monumental at the same time.

She stepped forward to lean into the strength of her alpha.

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AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

Emily


	15. Chapter 15: Please Refer To

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to angelic memories and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

b This is a general response to comments made by some reviewers. In general, their issue is that Kagome is weak and I apparently do not like her. First, I do like her, which is why I have not killed her yet.

Now I think if the readers go back and look at the time lapse of this story, her "weakness" and "self-pitying" will make more sense. Since the cave, it has only been five days at the most. She slept through the first two, so she has only had three days to understand that deal with everything around her. In the cave and on the way to the Citadel, she relived some of her worst memories, and then she wakes to discover that she is pregnant and her child is at risk. On top of all of it, Sesshoumaru is not really helping her understand why he took the actions he did back in the cave.

Therefore, I think that it is a lot for any person to deal with and resemble a strong person. She needs time to understand everything around her and then her strength can return while she heals. I know that this has already turned into a longer story, but just remember what happened to Dorothy at the end of OZ.

In addition, one other thing, Kagome was raised in modern society; every other character holds the values of Japanese culture from the Warring States Era. Women held a completely different role than they do now. If Kagome is going to continue to function in the past, then her character must understand that on some level. This story is not about bringing feminism to the past, it is about finding a "home."

By the way, this is not meant to vent at anyone who reviewed. It is meant to clarify things that I think are easily overlooked. Please continue to read and review./b

centeruChapter 15: Please Refer To …/u/center

Kagome found herself completely engulfed by the inu's embrace. At some point, she had been told that inu-youkai were affection by nature with those deemed worthy, but she could not shake the ominous feeling that this particular inu's attentions instilled on her. Then it became clear. She needed to stop thinking.

She was lost in his warmth, security and strength. She allowed her hands to fist into his haori, while she nuzzled her face into his chest. Not once did she wince away from his movements. The soft growls had been used not to scare but sooth her. It would make sense, seeing how he did not start to employ them until after she had been 'pupped.'

If her brain would just cease working, she would have been able to convince herself that this was as good as home.

The room was uncomfortable for all others in it. Miroku was thankful that Inuyasha was not present; Kami only knew what he would have done. Everyone was trying not make the embracing pair the center of their focus, but it was hard not to. The irony was that if you did not know the history shared by the two beings, you would have assumed that this was the embrace of long denied lovers.

A smile inspired by hope swept across the monk's face. Serenity never last long, just long enough that all know it is a possibility. In this case, the serenity was broken by the scream of the female inu-youkai.

Toto had shifted away from her mistress, trying to give the female the room to bond with the male. It had been that movement that set off Michi. Many nights she had lied in bed awake, fearing that shadows would come for her after her mother's bedtime story.

The moment was shattered; both Sesshoumaru and Kagome turned to see the female inu cowering behind Tadashi. Having Toto immediately seek refuge in her hair, Kagome guessed the other female's concern.

Kagome moved from her alpha to calm the distraught youkai. Sesshoumaru did not even attempt to stop the growl of irritation, when his bitch moved from him. What shocked him was her response, a whimpered plea to do what she viewed as her duty. Sesshoumaru nodded his head at her.

Kagome quickly crossed the room to kneel before the timid creature. She cast her hand out in a slow motion to catch the female's chin. Turning the face filled with lilac eyes towards her, Kagome spoke.

"Toto will not harm you. The only two she has ever bit was Almira Gulch and the wicked witch of the west. Though I am not sure, they are not one in the same. The point is Galinda; you are more than welcome here. More to the point you are powerful enough to never be the one cowering in the corner."

Michi was confused. Was the human supposed to make sense? Who was the witch? Who was Alm-Almi- whatever? In addition, who the hell was Galinda? The sapphires of her eyes were oceans. The tide pulled at her soul, and she knew that this one was kind. Michi sniffed at the other female. That was strange; she let the question slip out before she thought to stop it.

"Why do you still carry your own scent?"

Kagome's head jerked back and cocked to the side, "Why wouldn't I smell like me?"

"A bitch in your position should be so drenched in the sire's scent, that no one can any longer distinguish your own scent. It proves the sire's desire to protect the pup."

The loud snarls caused Michi to prostrate herself and then bare her neck to the enraged male. From her throat escaped a continuous strain of whines begging for forgiveness. She turned to look at her alpha's form towering over her and the other. Kagome knew this female meant no offence.

"Please," Kagome said, repeating back the word. Sesshoumaru knew that she was not standing in defiance; she was searching for an answer. He again allowed her to pursue this course with an inclination of his head.

Kagome turned back to the prostrated female. "You must understand that I am not youkai, that our lord has taken that into account. He understands that I only really have one instinct, 'Flight or Fight.' I am his breeder. I will carry no other male's scent. He knows this for fact, and thereby has no need to force his scent upon me."

Kagome had no clue if she was even close to why he had not pushed the issue of her scent, but she figured that it gave a nice out for everyone involved.

"I meant no offence, Breeder-sama. It is just unusual, no unheard of, that a carrying female not be confined to the pallet. That way the male can ensure that all of her needs are met as well as his own." Michi looked at the two humans and kit for a moment before returning to the breeder. "But as I can see, that is not the case with humans."

"No, that is not the way with humans. Perhaps, if it pleases Sesshoumaru-sama, I might be able to discuss with you some of the other differences?"

"Hn, Breeder are you in the habit of enlisting help from those you do not know?" During his breeder's conversation with his niece, he had been assessing his niece's loyalties. In all honesty, he was disgusted at how timid the wench was. At the first sign of displeasure, she immediately cowered trying to disappear into the floor. He supposed that it was a causality of watching so many siblings being killed.

"I have never been one for convention. Besides, you can tell by her aura she is pure."

Miroku was now looking at the unknown female with a scrutinizing eye. "Kagome-sama, what do you mean by pure?" It was odd for a miko to describe a youkai as 'pure.' The standing belief was that by default of their nature, youkai could not be pure.

"You do not see it Miroku? Amidst the sorrow and the fear, her soul is untainted. It takes a strong being indeed to remain this way. She is a beacon of light to the north. Come Galinda, what is your name?"

"Michi, Breeder-sama," she was overwhelmed by the sapphire, drowning even, but if she swam to the ring of silver, all would be well. There she would be able to hold on and keep her head above water.

"Good. I am Kagome, the woman who has apparently been neglecting her duties. So, let us quit groveling on the floor and join the rest." Kagome nodded her head in self-affirmation of her own sentiment. She rose and began to attend to her duties in the dining hall.

The rest of the meal was finished in a pleasant mood. It would be allowed for Michi and Kagome to converse in the gardens in the morning. Rin had been invited to join, and she agreed. The mood was light.

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Kagome was still in good spirits as she entered 'her' sleeping chambers. Humming to herself the tune of "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead," she began to prepare for sleep.

She spun, gripping the cloth of the kimono tighter to her body. She had detected his presence the second he stepped foot in the room. He stood there eyeing her with a gleam in his eyes that she wished she still could not place, lust. No. She was willing to begin to forgive, not hop into bed.

"What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Could her voice be any more squeaky and shaky? Wait … squeaky is good. It might hurt his ears long enough to give her time to escape.

He stalked forward from the position as observer to one of player. "I have come to ascertain the health of my breeder." The purring baritone sent ripples through the woman's body.

Kagome had almost lost herself in the sensation that his voice caused within her, when she realized exactly what he had said. "NO! We are not playing doctor! I will not be getting up on the table and putting my feet in the stir-ups for you! No!" she ended with her arms crossed over her chest and her lips pursed.

"Why would one put stir-ups on the table? And what does that have to do with a doctor?" Really, the things that came flying out of her mouth would be hilarious, if he was not the one trying to understand them.

"Well, it's for- wait. I am not explaining this to you. What are you doing here?" She had lost her embarrassment and now was allowing her indignation to take control.

Sesshoumaru smirk down at her, really, if he was more playful, she would be hours of endless entertainment. When Kagome caught his look, her face became more of a scowl.

"Come Kagome, this Sesshoumaru wishes to sleep," he began to remove the outer layers of his attire.

Oh, that was supposed to explain it all. "Then go to your sleeping chambers."

"No."

"No?"

"No," Moving to grab an article of sleeping attire from one of the chests, he proceeded as if this had always been the habit between them. He did not fail to notice that she still had not moved from her original spot when he walked in.

'Okay, think. Why would he be here to sleep? He doesn't think that because of this evening's events, I am going to…' "Sesshoumaru-sama, why are you sleeping here?" There was no accusation in her voice; it was a genuine search for understanding.

"Listen, for this shall not be repeated. In order for this Sesshoumaru to find rest, he must be able to ensure your safety. The easiest way to do that is to have you in contact with my body the entire time. There is no motive beyond sleep. Now, finish preparing for sleep. It is time to retire," their eyes had never left each other's and her only response was a slow nod.

Sesshoumaru had lowered himself to the pallet already, waiting on the female to join him. Kagome approached the new development with trembling steps. She eased herself down, letting out a startled "eep," as an impatient dog pulled her to him. They were in a position that she remembered her friends in the future once described as 'spooning,' and she found his warmth both comforting and addicting.

Shifting and wiggling trying to find the coziest spot, Kagome stilled. There was something oddly hard protruding into her backside. Sesshoumaru mentally sighed as he listened to his bitch's heart rate skyrocket.

"Go to sleep. The only thing that will occur here is rest," still she did not relax. "Think of it as a compliment. Most females must do much more to put this Sesshoumaru in such a state," he tightened his arm around her and allowed himself to drift to slumber.

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Kagome had been spared the awkward encounter in the morning, having awoken to an empty bed. It was odd, but she missed his warmth. Oh well, every relationship has to have a starting ground. Not that she really believed that she and Sesshoumaru could have anything that would remotely measure up to her standards of what constitutes as a relationship. Nevertheless, it would be nice to move beyond the stage of "I am going to pin you to the ground and assert my dominance."

Michi and Rin were already deep in conversation when Kagome came out to join them. The two had developed something akin to a familial bond. They viewed each other as cousins. Rin being the ward of the Western Lord was the closest thing that he had had to a pup.

"So I see that Sesshoumaru-sama has begun to re-scent you." Michi smiled at the other human woman who had just approached.

"Re-scent?" usually, people greeted with a 'hello' or 'good morning,' not comments about body odor.

"Please Breeder-sama; do not be mad at Rin-chan. She informed me that you did not pursue your current position. If I had known that last night, then I never would have made the egregious comment about your scent. However, I did and now I can tell that the lord used your newly acquired knowledge to assuage some of his instinctual demands," Michi bared her neck to the alpha bitch.

"Huh. I thought he was tired. Why are you doing that to me?" a vague motion of Kagome's hands indicated that she was talking about the inu's posture.

"You are alpha. Until the Lord takes a mate, no female ranks higher than you do. If any female does not show reverence it is direct slight on the Lord and the equanimity of the West."

"Oh, well then how do I acknowledge your acknowledgment?"

"There are several methods; one would choose which one depending on the circumstance of submission. However, the easiest and safest is to simply speak the supplicated female's name."

"Well Michi-san, please un-submit yourself. Where is an instruction manual when you need one? I swear, if were not for arrogant dogs-"

"Kagome-sama," Rin would not let Kagome fly off at the handle in front of this relatively unknown female. Yes, she liked Michi, but she did not completely trust her yet. Trust was built over time, and Kagome's position was vulnerable enough as it was.

"Right, no free rein on thoughts in front of the munchkins." Kagome smiled at both the bewildered females before her; she knew what she was talking about at least. "Michi-san, may I ask why you are here?"

"I am one of three full-blooded descendents of the great Inu no Taisho, Sesshoumaru-sama and my mother being the other two. I am an unmated female, which makes me the perfect pawn to try to use to subvert Sesshoumaru-sama's claim to dominance. My offspring would be full blooded. Sesshoumaru-sama's pups will now be hanyou unless he mates another female. In accordance to old 

traditions, he cannot and will not until you have bore him an heir. If this pup is female, it is your right and honor to claim his bed until the joining has produced a male pup."

"Okay, so he brought you here where he could keep an eye on you."

"Yes and no. I have been informed that the former breeder, my grandmother, has been sent into exile, much like when Izayoi-sama became Lady of the West. Madoka-sama will not idly sit in exile waiting for your death, especially not when she has the perfect means to reclaim her former glory. My grandmother holds the rights to arrange my mating."

"I follow what you are saying, but why not send for both you iand/i your mother? Can she not be used in a ploy as well?"

"Mother has a few things going against her. First off, she has far more pride than intelligence. It makes her hard to control and grandmother already knows that I am the more docile of the two. Next, mother's pups have a nasty habit of not surviving infancy.

"This last one is why mother will not survive. She is the only one who can prove Madoka-sama's guilt in the death of my siblings. Rumors are just rumors. As long as the lord stays, his hand, and no others can strike her down for the rumors."

The horrified look that was on the faces of the two human women told Michi that this was another difference between humans and youkai. Kagome was the first to regain her composure. "Madoka-sama is immune to poison isn't she?"

"Hai. Therefore, so is my mother, but I do not share that ability. Poison was the death of all the siblings born after me. I may have been young, but I could still smell its effects on the cold bodies. Both my mother and grandmother claimed that the poison was passed from mother to pup in the milk. Somehow, I was strong enough to withstand the effects. There can be no validity in that claim. My mother's favored form of discipline was poison, and it was my body's inability to protect from its effects that proved to me I must have never received it through the milk while I suckled. Why do you ask?"

Kagome drew her brows together in thought. "Poison would have been the easiest method to deal with Madoka-san. It would have been hard to trace back to the origin, therein giving the executioner some amenity. I do not mean to be disrespectful to your heritage, but it seems that many within the West have died because of the old witch's schemes, and even more wish for her death."

"I do not know the courts or interactions of the West, but if the face she displayed while visiting her daughter are anything close to how she acted around here I wonder why grandfather did not just kill her when he brought Izayoi-sama home as mate.

"Unfortunately, it seems that uncle has taken the same road as his father by not slaying Madoka-sama when she slighted you."

Rin decided that it was time to set Michi straight before she insulted her lord again. "Michi-chan, it was Kagome-sama who threw hot water on Madoka-sama."

Michi gasped and turned the woman that made her look like a giant. "Why?"

Kagome's lips came to a pout. "Stupid witch was supposed to melt."

"With water?"

"Hai hai, with water. The wicked witch of the west is always supposed to melt when water is thrown on her. It just proves how obdurate the old bitch truly is."

Rin and Michi just looked at each other, and then fell over in a fit of giggles. Kagome could not help but find the mirth in her statement. She lay back a giggled as the clouds passed lazily over her head.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in relaxed conversation.

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Kuro was done. Being executed for killing the wench was surly worth it. This was the fourth time within the same hour that he had needed to empty the contents of his stomach.

There was no beauty in this bitch, only conceit and decay. She should have long ago been put down, to save the rest of them the misery that was her. The most sickening thing was the fact that old wench had such a strong libido. He was not sure if he would ever be able to bed another female without feeling the need to vomit.

He would give anything to be still pinned under that rock … or was it a pebble?

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No. No. No. No. This was not how things were suppose to go. That useless mongrel of a daughter had allowed her mate to send away Michi. The moronic bitch did not understand what she had done wrong.

centeribFlash Back/b/i/center

"Mother, what is the problem? Pups are like the flowers, they always bloom in the spring and whither within a few days," the two silver haired bitches stared at each other, golden eyes glinting dangerously on both sides.

"You twit, how do we claim the value of a full-blooded heir when all of your pups save one have died? Michi was the key to regaining power within the West. Your womb has no use."

"What are you implying mother?"

"Nothing at all dear daughter. I see no fault in your actions at all," her hands waved dismissively at the younger female; it was a motion her daughter had seen often in her youth.

"bDO NOT/b dismiss me in my own home, Mother. Remember that it is I who has the blood of the great Inu no Taisho running through her veins. It is I who is still welcome in her home. I have never been displaced from my position by a mere ihuman/i. How many times now imother/i have you proved inferior to a human? Twice, is it?" the sneering smile on the younger's face was swiped away with the claws of her mother.

"Enjoy your hollow victory daughter. It was I whom gave you your immunity to poison. It was also I that denied you complete immunity. I shall take my leave now, dear idaughter/i. I am sure your mate will enjoy the gift of his freedom that I have bestowed upon him."

Madoka left the den; she no longer had a daughter.

centeribEnd Flash Back/b/i/center

She had to sleep with the young soldier again to convince him to detour to her daughter's home. What a waste of time. Well, the soldier was not; he was very satisfying. In fact, she would maintain the affair long after he was mated to her granddaughter.

However, the whole visit to her useless, twit of a daughter, had provided them with no gain. Yes, she had the satisfaction that the twit died a slow tortuous death, but she was still without means to the lordship of the West.

Her son, it would seem, did not suffer under the same delusions as her late daughter. He was not so conceited as to believe he was untouchable. Damn. Why could he not take after his father more. He already showed the stupid affinity towards humans.

First, it was the little girl who spent her time picking the gardens clean of anything that bloomed. While the girl was beyond insufferable, it was not until she left with her husband that Madoka had been willing 

to concede the girl's one value. Ren, Rina, whatever her name was had managed to monopolize the toad's attention. With the toad off her back, she was able to move freely amongst her plots.

Then came the hanyou. The damn abomination looked and smelled so much like his sire that none could refute his claim to being the second son. He waltzed into the West swearing his allegiance and sword all for the price of one human wench's safety.

Finally, the wench arrived. Such a small thing, which never looked anyone in the eye. This was the miko that was professed to have destroyed the Shikon no Tama. She did not believe the claims, not until she passed the girl one day in the gardens and felt the power humming through her being. Madoka had originally thought to manipulate the girl to her own means. This ploy, however, never made it to fruition. Every time Madoka attempted to talk to the moron, said wench would spout off about never giving up her ruby slippers.

Then, to add insult to injury, the wench goes and gets herself pupped by none other than Madoka's own son. Madoka was now displaced not by a human hime, but an insane miko. What made males so stupid that they could only think with a certain head that was not located above the shoulders?

Madoka would not sit by and allow her son to deny her the mating rights to her granddaughter. No. He had his bitch; he would not take hers away. Her mind slipped back to the young soldier that had been warming her bed for the past few nights. She had enough to occupy her while she waited.

She could dream on the face the insane miko would make when her pup was ripped from her womb. That would be one bloodied death that Madoka would not mind staining her perfect claws on. It would have taken her almost a thousand years, but she would yet be Lady of the West.

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Sesshoumaru stared blankly at the scroll in front of him. His sister was dead. She had insulted Mother, and apparently did not have as complete an immunity to poisons as previously believed. Hn. Technically, he could not go after Mother in the slightest because his sister's mate was not seeking retribution.

The dog had been given a title and land upon his mating into the Inu no Taisho bloodline, but the only offspring to survive infancy was Michi. Now, all the dog wanted was to be able to mate another and produce an heir. He cared nothing of avenging his first mate's death.

The rumors of his sister's conceit and malice rivaling that of Mother's must have been true. She had been mated to this male for more than four hundred years and he did not even want to wait an appropriate mourning period. Fine, let the dog have his heir; all that was needed was for the dog to relinquish the rights of alpha for Michi.

Yes, Sesshoumaru was supreme alpha of the entire West, but to sever Mother's claim to Michi, Sesshoumaru had to claim the female as direct pack. Things run more smoothly when the previous alpha agreed (or was dead). A new pack meant all previous claims on the individual are forfeit.

With Mother in exile, he could now ensure that no unwanted influence be exerted on the female. He had also noticed that she had a way of explaining simple inu-youkai culture to his bitch. That was helpful; he had enjoyed being able to coat his bitch in his scent without her fighting him. In addition, both Kagome and Rin had taken to the female.

Michi was a submissive bitch who was quietly intelligent. She would not be hard to mate off once an honorable male was found. He was pleased that she did not take after her grandmother or mother.

Speaking of mothers, Michi should probably be informed that hers had died. Then he would track down his bitch, no point in letting his scent fade off of her.

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AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

Emily


	16. Chapter 16: Birth

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to angelic memories and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

centeruChapter 16: Birth/u/center

It had been weeks since Michi had first stepped into the Western Citadel. Life had settled in for her. Her mother was dead; her father had already mated and pupped another. She had a new alpha, and her grandmother was never to be heard from again. Life had more than settled; it had bloomed.

She found herself more comfortable in the company of the human females then the other female youkai of birth within the Citadel. She had taken it upon herself to defend the breeder from all things that would go unnoticed by the lord. It was not to state that the lord was weak (far from it), but he ruled through tradition. His hand had been forced in such a way because there had not been enough time for him to establish his dominant birth right before the great Inu no Taisho's passing.

Since tradition held the rule for all to live by: females were only to be disciplined by other females or their direct alpha. Kagome-sama did not pay attention to whispers around her, so Michi corrected those who misspoke.

The addiction of power seemed to slither into her being, but she refused to abuse what had been given her. Her uncle was lord; his decisions were not to be questioned, especially by power hungry bitches that had centuries to try to sway his favor.

It was the first time that Michi knew happiness.

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Yawning, Kagome stretched from her nap. To regain focus she blinked her eyes a few times, and then attempted to find a vertical position. Wrong. Her stomach clenched, and her world spun out of control. She was unaware of the clawed hand that traveled down her arm; said hand wrapped around wrist, and applied pressure to a spot that had been found a week earlier.

Slowly Kagome's stomach was brought back into line, and she attempted, for a second time, the same monumental task of sitting up.

"Eat," the baritone voice decreed from above her head.

"Good morning to you too," she refused to allow his emotional retardation to curb her good mood, nausea did that enough, thank you very much.

"It is already afternoon; you slept through your mid-day meal. Now, eat."

i'No sense in fighting lord grumpy pants.'/i She reached for the fresh orange. Yet again, a stealthy hand wrapped around her wrist. "That will only make you sick."

"Then why is it here?" Her tone was that of a petulant child; she wanted an orange damn it.

"Eat the rice first, and then you may have your orange," Sesshoumaru had almost finished going through the new scrolls of the day, if she had only remained asleep for another half an hour.

"Yes, father," Kagome's snippy remark was met with a growl of displeasure. She bared her neck to him, and he in turn nuzzled his acceptance. She then proceeded to eat her exciting lunch of steamed rice.

Sesshoumaru continued his work while his bitch ate in silence. She had begun what she called 'morning sickness' just over a week ago. Her scent had become laced with a strong acidic smell, and he demanded to know what was wrong. When she had been cornered, the infuriating woman had explained that this was a common occurrence for pupped human females as their bodies adjust to the needs of carrying.

Sesshoumaru had then taken her to a human midwife (scaring the villagers to death); the mid-wife had divulged herbs and the wrist treatment as possible solutions.

Noting that her inability to control her stomach was greatest at the time of waking, Sesshoumaru decreed that anytime she slept it would be in his presence. At first, the obnoxious woman fought against her alpha, stating many reason why this was not plausible (none of which withstood Sesshoumaru's logic), then finally she conceded.

While Sesshoumaru wanted to claim this concession resulted from her desire to be in the presence of her alpha; he knew it was the fact that he ensured the nausea did not overwhelm her upon waking. At least it was a way to build trust.

The rice was gone, and now the orange was not nearly as enticing as it had been. Oh well, she would bring it with her to eat later. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I am going to search Rin out. I wish to know how she fairs."

"Hn." Kagome had reached the shoji before his warning was issued, "Do not overtax yourself."

"Hai, my lord."

Kagome meandered her way through the courtyards until she came upon a waddling Rin. In the last week, as Kagome fought to keep the contents of her stomach, Rin fought to keep from yelling at any being that crossed her path. Miroku had hauled himself up in the study trying to discover a helpful hint about the 'Mikaboshi problem.' He was in no way afraid of his very pregnant wife.

Rin had spent the last four days walking in perpetual circles around the compound; she would have laughed at how fast the servants ran in the opposite direction from her if she had not wanted someone to vent her frustrations on. The mid-wife that had been brought in for her baby's birth had told her that walking would help speed up the delivery. Rin was not looking forward to the pain of birth, but after this last week she could no longer stand this pregnancy. She could not sleep more than an hour before she had to pee. Solving that problem took entirely too much effort anymore. It should not take an individual a quarter hour to urinate. She often found that by the time she stood from squatting, she had to go all over again.

Her dear husband would only appear at night nowadays, and then his hands would be insistent. Did he not know that it was those very actions that got her into the miserable state that currently made up her existence? Her hand reached out to grip the wooden support beam of the overhang in the open hallway. It seemed like the time in between when her stomach would tense was becoming increasingly shorter.

The pregnant woman nearly jumped out of her skin as Kagome began to speak to her. "Rin-chan, how are you faring today?"

The death glare would have made her lord proud. How dare the twit ask her such a question? "I am wonderful, Kagome-sama. Whatever would I have to complain about?"

Kagome laughed at the angry pregnant woman. "You do realize that your condition is not a permanent one? Well, I take that back, you did marry Miroku."

"Do not speak that letch's name to me. Can you believe that he still expects me to perform my wifely duties? The audacity of that man," Rin had stomped her foot to emphasize her point.

"Well, I remember hearing somewhere that those 'wifely duties' can actually help you go into labor."

Turning to stare at the obviously insane woman, Rin suddenly doubled over grabbing her abdomen. A torrent of liquid spilled onto the floor, between the heavy-laden woman's legs. Two silver haired inu-youkai, one male and one female, were upon the women within moments.

"I believe the mid-wife is now needed," it mattered not who said it for utter chaos descended down on the Western Citadel.

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Nearly twenty-six hours later, a ghostly pale Kagome and an obviously shaken Michi emerged from the birthing room. Only moments before, wailings of an infant had been heard.

An overly anxious monk rushed into the room in the wake of the females' departure. Sesshoumaru had stood still, straining to hear the conversation within the room. Satisfied when he heard no sounds of distress coming from those within the room, it was safe to assume his ward was well.

Refocusing on his breeder, he found her face still had no color. Sesshoumaru's hand slipped under her chin and then splayed his fingers out to cradle her head. While her lack of normal color was slightly odd, the tiny trembles sent his instincts into over drive.

Kagome was engulfed by the male inu's form as he buried his nose into the crook of her neck. Her usual startled reaction was absent. There was nothing wrong in her scent besides an added level of exhaustion.

"I don't think that I can do that."

Gazing down, his ego swelled. His bitch was looking to him for strength. She was calling with her eyes, pleading for him to protect her. Perhaps more trust had been built in the last week than he had realized. Pulling the unresisting form into his, he tucked her securely in his arms and made his way towards his, their, private chambers.

"Oi, where do you think you're going?" Inuyasha's voice rang out. It was hard for Inuyasha to see Kagome search for Sesshoumaru's protection over his.

A feminine clawed hand steadied the hanyou before he could follow. Gently shaking her head, she spoke, "It is his place, and that is hers."

Ears flat against his head, he now focused on the elderly woman emerging from the birthing room. "The parents wish for you to come meet their new son."

Now was not a time to be jealous; this was a happy moment.

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Sesshoumaru sat in front of his desk, one hand gently clawing through his bitch's tresses, while the other settled comfortably over their pup. The scroll that had arrived a short while ago occupied his thoughts.

The daimyo were in upheaval again. It was bothersome; not only did humans live short life spans but they also insisted on continuously overthrowing each others' reigns. Apparently the most influential one now had come from a nothing family, and had been thought to be nothing but the family fool. It would seem that the Ashikaga Shogunate was ending, and the great city of Kyoto was not as impenetrable as once believed.

Toto skittered across the clawed hand currently invading her sanctuary. "Wake her," the little shadow hissed at the proud youkai.

Starring at the one that dared to order him, he watched as the shadow dissipated into the surrounding walls' shadows. Never would he become used to that sight. It had happened countless times over the last week.

No, he would not wake his bitch from her rest because she deserved sleep.

Rumbling softly to slumbering woman as she shifted restlessly in her sleep, all tranquility was lost when his loud mouth brother barraged in.

Kagome vaulted away from Sesshoumaru's embrace when Inuyasha's voice ripped her from slumber. The sudden movement forfeited any ability Kagome might have had to control the violent roll of her stomach. Inuyasha had lunged forward to catch Kagome before she became reacquainted with the floor. His act of chivalry was rewarded with a very thorough dowsing of vomit.

The rage that had boiled at the rather callus acts of his hanyou brethren lost steam at the sight of his brother's reward. Sesshoumaru quickly retrieved his now ill female, and gently cleaned her face of any residue from her previous actions. Her glassy eyes searched the room for anything to orient herself on; when the gaze became fixed on the same scroll Sesshoumaru himself had spent the previous hour starring at.

"Oda Nobunaga…"

"Hn." The elder inu was too busy glaring down the younger hanyou to pay attention to what his breeder was saying.

Inuyasha was thoroughly pissed. He had come here to make sure that Kagome was fine, and what did he get for his troubles? He was vomited on. Great, now he was going to have to take a bath. He hated bathing. It wasn't that he did not like to smell clean, rather it was utter vulnerability one faced while bathing. You were alone, nude, and without the protection of the fire rat cloth. To top all of that off, the water severely muted the scents in the surrounding area while at the same time absorbing noises. Really, he had learned at a young age that bathing was not essential to life; in fact, quite often it was detrimental.

"What, ya bastard? I'm the one covered in vomit, here."

"Hn, and the smell is displeasing to this Sesshoumaru. Not to mention it will more than likely to cause his breeder to repeat the performance that produced such a foul odor."

"The Ashikaga Shogunate has fallen, we are too late," the despair that radiated off the young woman caused the two bickering dogs to quiet.

"No, the Ashikaga are still the name of power."

Her head whipped to pin the tai-youkai with a beseeching look, "We must hurry, and time works against us."

The tremors racked her body once again, causing Sesshoumaru to pull her further into his protective embrace. The sight made Inuyasha almost sick; he decided that he was tired of not understanding anything that occurred. Sesshoumaru had used him for the position of personal whipping boy. The result of Sesshoumaru's form of stress relief caused Inuyasha to spend more days in bed recuperating then walking the Citadel. If the damn ice prick would use his concubines, then Inuyasha would not have so many bed-ridden days.

"What the fuck?"

"Inuyasha," ears flattened in a now Pavlonian response. "You need a bath."

"Don't tell me what to do, wench. I wouldn't need a bath if it weren't for your weak human body," his focus changed to the inu, "And you: quit growling. I ain't going nowhere until someone tells me what the fuck is going on, and why the fuck we have to hurry."

If the fast moment would not have caused his breeder to throw up again, Sesshoumaru would have punched the hanyou through the wall. As it was, he had to settle for lashing across Inuyasha's chest with his acid whip.

"Stop it the two of you." In order to secure the female in his lap, Sesshoumaru had to give up of the game of 'make the hanyou dance.' He rumbled softly at her in an attempt to recreate the peace that was found before Inuyasha intruded.

The sweet lull that the vibrations created around Kagome were proving too much for her to fight against. Absently, she wondered when he had developed this power over her. Another round of nausea reminded her exactly what was at stake. Nuzzling into the large youkai's neck she whispered, "We must."

"Oh come on, what the fuck must we do?" Really, he was sticky and wet. The smell was enough for him to admit he needed a bath, and she was talking in riddles.

"You need do nothing. This is between this Sesshoumaru and his breeder."

"No you don't you bastard. I won't allow you to take her from me," his ears flattened again at the sound of his brother's growls. "I know what I conceded you to you asshole. But, I will never abandon Kagome. If she needs help then I'm gonna be there for her. I told Miroku, and now I'm tellin' you, if I have to kill the Kami to protect her, then that won't stop me. She deserves happiness, not a place as some prize bitch!"

Sesshoumaru's normal baritone voice dropped even lower as his lethal nature became prevalent. "Your submission allows you no room to make demands of your Alpha."

"I ain't making demands. I'm tellin' you, I will inever/i abandon Kagome," his voice snarled with determination.

No longer could she take the tension that was building between the two brothers. Kagome would not let any more blood be spilt on her account. "You have never abandoned me, Inuyasha. You followed me when everyone told you to stop. Inuyasha, I will never ask you to follow me to hell. It was you in the woods that made me fight Mikaboshi. I could never fail you. Do you know why I vowed to always stay by your side?" Inuyasha shook his head. "Because through it all, you always believed in me and you always stood by me."

Inuyasha could not listen to her glorify his actions of the past. Did she not know that he was never that person? "No, that's … that's … that's not true. I never-"

"iYes/i you did. Okay, so sometimes, your temper got in the way, but in your heart, you always cared what happened to me. The choices you had to make were hard, but never did I doubt that you cared," she had moved from the tai-youkai's lap, and was now standing. "Did you not understand that you were my anchor, the one that taught me what it meant to never give up?"

Sesshoumaru moved to recollect his breeder while Inuyasha drowned in her eyes. "Inuyasha your friendship has been … the only happiness I have known here. Never doubt your place in my heart, but now is not the time for you to be insecure. My child's life is on the line and I know where Mikaboshi is."

Spinning the woman around so that she now faced him, Sesshoumaru's red eyes bored into her. She sighed, "My Lord, he protected me when you tried to kill me. I do not know what instincts drive you, what I know is my past. While he is far from a selfless being, he has proven his loyalty to me time and again." Reaching for his clawed hand, she placed it over her womb. "What lies in here is iours/i. I will fight just as fiercely as you to protect iour/i pup." Moving his hand up to her heart, she continued, "What lies in here is still scared of you." Pressing his hand harder upon her chest, she pleaded, "This takes time that we do not have right now. For all the fear that lies here, I know that I can make this one vow: the pup will never know ill of his sire from me."

Amber eyes now stared at the intertwined hands. She was so small, yet so strong. This was what he would do that his brother could not: he would prove her strength to her. "Tell this Sesshoumaru what to do to protect what is ours."

"This is not your burden alone. We will save our pup together."

No. She would not be risked in this; her place was here in safety. "You will stay."

"No, iI/i will not. I did not ask to be your breeder, but that does not make this child any less mine. You arrogant dog, if you want me to trust you then must trust me. Toto is the only one that can know Mikaboshi's presence. The journey will be too long for her go without feeding; also, she cannot speak without my presence. I will not bare my neck or back down on this one," his growling became vicious, as his bitch continued to challenge him. "Is your pride worth your pup?"

She met his eyes with the defiance of the fifteen-year-old girl who was drugged down the well. Inuyasha quit mentally griping about having to bathe, and smiled. The smile was broad, wide, and the first true one to adorn his face in nearly three years.

Kagome could feel it, the power. It burned and boiled just beneath the surface, trying to find an Achilles heel in her containment. If Chihuahua boy pushed her much further, then she would lose the control … no, best not to plan on taking off the ruby slippers.

"You iwill/i submit to your alpha," he could feel it as well. The ki that built behind her tense muscles; yet this was more than ki, this was reiki. She had reconnected to her purity.

"Not on this. Never on this. I will challenge you anytime; your arrogant ass cannot bend to save our children. I will not fail again, because the one to pay the price is not me, it will be our child!" Her chest was heaving under the excursion of fitful breathing. Her body was completely encased in a soft glow of pink swirling with white.

Sesshoumaru answered her challenge with one of his own. Uzume had said that she needed to purify the connection that Mikaboshi had made to the pup; this had to work. If the pup was no longer at risk, then he would not have to fight a stubborn female about traipsing across Japan while pupped.

"You will submit now or you will find yourself chained to the pallet," his voice was not raised however, his eyes once again held a red hue. Youki swirled around him, which caused his hair to perform a hypnotic dance.

Inuyasha was having a hard time breathing; the room was chalk full of two opposing powers that oddly enough had not attacked each other. He was sure that the entire Citadel could feel these stubborn individuals facing off.

"No," she said in a deadly calm voice. Snarling and stepping forward, Sesshoumaru's actions were met step by step with Kagome's reactions.

"You have already submitted to this Sesshoumaru as your alpha. Shall I be forced to remind you of your iposition/i within my pack?" He never ceased the slow advance on her, while she never ceased hers.

Their hair began to intertwine as their ki mixed together. "I have stated once before, my burdens are mine alone."

"No. As your alpha, it is this Sesshoumaru's honor to carry your burdens."

She was not inu-youkai, she did not understand. She gave him the pack he had been denied. She had vowed to never try to turn his pack against him. He had taken from her that which could never be given back, and she had begun the slow process of forgiveness. This was one of the many things that he owed her. He was alpha, her safety; the pup's safety was ihis/i burden. It was a task that he would be victorious in, for her.

"You over-grown ankle biter, how do you propose to accomplish this feat, when you cannot even see the yellow brick road? Do you know where the Emerald City is? This is beyond your honor; this is the future. The greatest of journeys are not meant to be solitary." She pushed her pain and anguish out through her powers when the last statement was made. It was time to face accountability. Though her resolve did not lessen, the sapphire orbs softened, beseeching him to understand. "I tried. I tried to do this on my own and all I accomplished was releasing the shadows back onto Japan. Before I understood what I had done, I had burned their passage home, and any way of approaching myself. My burden is more than the destruction of Mikaboshi, more than the salvation of my child; it is the atonement of my failures. My failures have caused so many innocents to suffer and I will spend the rest of eternity making reparations for those past transgressions," her head was fully tilted back as her eyes began to cloud with the purity of her power. She narrowed her eyes in a dare for him to defy what she had said.

"You would do this alone? No great journey is solitary," his hand fisted in her hair at the base of her head. "Together, we will save our pup and the time is now."

He turned her around and then tucked her into his form. Grasping both her hands with his, he placed them over her womb. Both their ki danced together as he coaxed her to follow the connection the flowed from her womb to the world outside. The farther their ki pushed to follow the trail of Mikaboshi, the more frenzied the dance became between their powers. It reached forest, field, river, and lake. On they pressed together, searching for the dark one that threatened what was theirs.

All those within in the Citadel seemed frozen in time as power surged forth from the two alphas. Those that were caught in the powers' path, could not repress the fear the two twining ki invoked. There was no sense of malice, but that of vengeance for the righteous. Japan could feel the wrath of the West.

Finally the frenzied dancing powers found their target. The Malevolent One hid amongst foreigners that knew not of his threat. Kagome searched the foreigners for one that was pure. Once the pure one was found, she brought the link from her womb to the priest. She had already marked the priest so that he would be easy to recognize. This one would not be a sacrificial lamb, and he would be the beacon of light.

To ensure that the beacon's light would not dim, Kagome let herself vulnerable as she flooded her reiki over the priest. It was in that moment of vulnerability that she felt the pain descend down upon her body. Sesshoumaru felt the small body in front of him recoil as if from some sort of pain. His arms moved to pull her more firmly to his body, while had his youki completely encompass their bodies.

If he had been allowed to form a deeper physical bond, he would have been able to protect her better. That however, would not come about until he had gained much much more of her trust. He felt her reiki recede into her body, so he allowed his youki to follow in suit.

She was trembling from the exertion. Her voice was raspy as she spoke, "I believe that Yuichi is needed."

Sesshoumaru stiffened at her request for the kit. What did he have to do with this?

She sensed his hesitation, and with much effort turned her head to look at him. "Yuichi has a talent for seeing auras that the rest of us do not possess. Please, I am not sure what I felt."

With a nod, he focused on his brother. "Inuyasha, you will fetch Yuichi. Then immediately afterwards you will bathe; the smell is most annoying."

Inuyasha grumbled the whole way to the kit. Not only were both of them telling him he stunk (as if it was his fault), now he was the errand boy. 'Good doggy, play fetch. Feh.' Sighting the kit with Michi, he did not fail to notice how both of them covered their noses as he approached.

"Lord Fluffy wants to see you. Quit staring at me like that and get moving brat!"

Michi knew better than to let her curiosity run away with her, but she could not resist. "Why do you smell so horrid, Inuyasha-sama?"

"Damn wench threw up all over me, and then she told me I stink. Stupid girl." Inuyasha had his ears pinned while he kicked a lose pebble in the pathway.

Michi could not help the laugh that escaped her lips, "Was she trying to melt you too?"

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Yuichi approached the study with caution. He knew that the hanyou was not lying to him, but only an idiot was not nervous about approaching an inu-youkai with a breeding female. Rapping lightly on the shoji, the command to enter almost seemed ominous.

Upon his entrance, he noticed how exhausted Kagome looked, which would make sense. The amount of ki that had flowed through Citadel was enough to drain even the strongest of youkai. The nervous kit subjected himself to the tai-youkai.

"My Lord, my presence was requested?"

"Hn."

"Yes Yuichi-kun, I need your help. Can you see the aura of the pup?" Kagome moved to kneel in a position that allowed Yuichi a clear view of her lower abdomen.

Understanding dawned on Yuichi as he began to concentrate on the task at hand. What he saw left the young fox speechless.

"Yuichi-kun please, what do you see?"

Shaking his head to clear away the impossibility of it all, he answered, "There are two youkai auras, but one seems to have a clouding, or darkening to it. It is not the malevolent darkness as it was when it seemed that the auras were fluctuating before. I don't really understanding what I am seeing. Why aren't they hanyou?"

"Yuichi-kun, you are saying that I am carrying twin youkai pups, and that one's aura is clouded by some darkness?"

"Hai." The orange head nodded ferociously.

Kagome was oddly numb and nauseous at the same time. Once again, a clawed hand slid down her arm and grasped her wrist. The pressure applied there forced her stomach back into submission. She looked at the hand engulfing her wrist; how many times had he done this for her? His strength was there for her to use when she had none left of her own.

Yes, the Chihuahua was an asshole. He was arrogant. The damn dog would not even bow down to a Kami when she had come to offer him help. He had raped her in the cave, but she got the distinct impression that it was not about dominance. Oh and speaking of dominance he had a nasty habit of pinning her to the ground, yet again, he had not done that since he begged for a chance. He had not forced her to fulfill the most basic duty of a breeder, nor had he gone to the concubines. It really was amazing how poor the youkai thought human hearing was. Finally, she had just denied his status as her alpha, and he did not force a submission, but met her as an equal. Sesshoumaru had anchored the power within her so that she did not fear being consumed by it. All great journeys are better when they are not solitary.

Yes, he was an asshole, but he had made it quite clear that he wanted to be iher/i asshole. In time, they could work out the details. He had proved that he was willing to bend and sway with her; she could trust him.

Together they had saved one of their pups completely, and limited the taint on the second one. The time needed to build a relationship would be found after they had saved the second pup, together.

She lost herself in his hypnotic amber orbs, "We must."

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	17. Chapter 17: Calm Waters

bDISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INYUSHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ./b

AN: Thank you to angelic memories and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

centeruChapter 17: Calm Waters/u/center

Madoka was beyond livid. Yes, yes, her daughter's mate played into to her scheme just as she had thought, but her son was proving to be an annoyance. Wouldn't his father be proud? The dog had taken Michi into his direct pack; so now Madoka had no claims on the stupid little twit.

Centuries of murder were all for nothing. On top of all else, Michi was now known to fully support the insane miko. This made it harder to fuel the indignation of those who wished to rebel. Her son seemed far more efficient at tying her hands than his father ever was. Perhaps she taught him too much when he was a pup.

Really, how was she supposed to know that his father would send him out into the world alone? Madoka had realized early on that the great Inu no Taisho would not take her as mate without proper motivation, so she had decided to condition her son as a contingence. The pup learned well, far too well.

Once he returned from his journeys, it had become clear that Sesshoumaru would never be the pliable ally she had conditioned him to be. In fact, Sesshoumaru had forced her to become far more cautious with her plans.

Now said plans were almost useless. It did not matter. She would be able to accomplish her goals; she just needed a little more time to come up with the perfect plan. Fortunately, this exile included a pleasant diversion. The soldier was a very accomplished toy.

She would become the Lady of West, and it did not matter who or what stood in her way. She was Madoka.

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Kuro swore that this bitch could have cured his father of his infamous, insatiable libido. It could not be healthy to vomit so many times in one day, let alone one hour.

However, his health was small price to pay for the safety of the West. A thousand years in a position of power had reinforced Madoka's arrogance, and that would be what led to her down fall. It mattered not how intelligent the being was, arrogance always led to stupidity.

The only problem was figuring out a how to inform Sesshoumaru-sama of his mother's musings and schemes. Really, some of the things she spoke of doing reflected on how psychopathic the bitch was. Not to mention, she liked to use her poison during rutting. Truly there was not another with as much malice as this one.

It was probably better that their Lord spent so many centuries away from her. Kami-sama only knew the evil that would have fallen on the West if this bitch had been able to corrupt the Lord.

If Kuro lived through this, he would be more than happy to clean stables for the rest of his life. Oh, and never rut again.

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If nothing else could be said about Ichiro, then one could comment on his healthy lungs. Were newborns supposed to cry so loud?

Kagome rapped lightly to announce her presence to the new parents. When the shoji slid open, Kagome saw a disheveled Miroku and an exhausted Rin in the room.

"Wow, I can't wait for my turn."

Both parents glared daggers at the now ioddly/i happy Kagome. "May I come in?"

Rin nodded, and then went back to trying to latch Ichiro onto her breast. Kagome moved to kneel before Rin and noticed the pain flinted across the young mother's face. When Rin winced in pain, she jerked Ichiro causing him to let go, and begin wailing again. Rin sighed in defeat. Where the hell were her maternal instincts?

Kagome moved to take the wailing bundle from the obviously frazzled woman. "What you need, is to get more comfortable. Miroku, please go fetch your wife more pillows," Kagome waited for him to leave before looking back to Rin. "The pain will become less as you allow the child to feed. It will be best to position pillows behind you so that you are not straining your back. Also, pillows under Ichiro will relieve some of the strain on your neck."

Rin looked at the now obvious imposter that resembled Kagome, "What have you done with Kagome-sama?"

Laughing, Kagome replied, "My brother was over six years younger than me, and I was a child full of questions."

"You learned from your mother?" There was a hidden sadness in Rin's voice and eyes.

"Hai, but not everything can be taught. Most of what we learn is taught through our failed attempts."

Miroku had reentered the room with the requested pillows and began to help Rin arrange them so that she was comfortable. He looked down at his wife and just smiled. She was the most precious gift he had ever been entrusted with, and now he had a son. He had a son, not to ensure the curse was defeated, but because he had a son. This woman, this Rin, bestowed the thing upon him he had wanted most in the world, and he would spend the rest of his life ensuring that he was worthy.

"My dear husband, do you wish for some time to meditate? I believe Kagome-sama plans on staying for a while."

Miroku snapped out of his reverie, "Hai, I do believe that I shall go to the gardens."

The two women watched him leave, and the second he was out of hearing range Rin released a sigh. "That man has been hovering over me and Ichiro like a mother hen. If you had not come when you did, I was about ready to start throwing things at him."

"Well, I imagine that is a result of begging for a child for the past fifteen years or so," her dry laugh stopped as Kagome continued to think. "Or it could be that now he knows for sure that the curse is gone. The man watched his father be consumed by the curse, believing that it was to be his fate as well. Now he has a son that will never know the burden of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Ichiro is a blessing as are all children, but to Miroku I believe that he is far more."

"Hai, I know you are right, but I hurt. I am at a loss for what to do as a mother, and there seems to be no one or nothing to guide me," the whispered confession struck an ironic chord with the older woman.

"You are searching for your yellow brick road. I don't know much but this is what my mother said when my brother was born, 'iNo baby comes with instructions. You keep them fed, clean, and well rested. All else are the discoveries that make parenthood worthwhile. /i' Do not worry so much about what you don't know. Enjoy the time you have."

Rin listened to the words of the older woman, guilt weighing heavily on her mind. Here she was whining about being lost and instead of snubbing her, as Rin had done to Kagome in her time of need, Kagome was patiently imparting all the knowledge that she had to offer as help.

"I am sorry, Kagome-sama. I did not give you patience when you needed it," her head hung low, "How can you offer me kindness when I gave none?"

"Rin-chan, look at me. Do not compare this with what transpired when you first arrived. If you had done what you now believe you should have done, then that would have been tarnishing the image of your savior. I do not hold ill will towards your treatment of me. You followed the course you believed was right."

"But how can you be so calm about this? How-"

"Rin, when I said you have no idea what lurks in the darkness, I did not lie. You have only felt fractions of his malevolence. How could I survive his whispering if I could not forgive a girl for her defense of her idol? Now please, take your own advice and hold on to your happy moments."

It was not sitting well with Rin how easily Kagome had forgiven her callus treatment.

"Rin-chan, there is a saying from where I come from: 'Hindsight is twenty/twenty.' What it means is that often times we can see the past clear while the present is blurred. Do not berate yourself over this because if I had been in your position I probably would have acted the same."

"Kagome-sama that does not absolve my guilt in this."

"No it doesn't. Only you can do that."

Their heart-felt talk was interrupted by the wails of Ichiro. Rin tried to get him to re-latch, but nothing seemed to work.

"Perhaps it is gas?" Rin looked at her in the picture of utter cluelessness. Kagome smiled gently as she moved to kneel closer, she scooped the infant up to cradle him over her shoulder. Gently rubbing circles on his tiny back, both were taken by surprise at the volume of the burp. Kagome handed back the babe to his mother.

"We will be leaving the Citadel soon."

"What? Who will be leaving the Citadel?" Really, you have a baby and no one tells you anything anymore.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, myself, Michi, Tadashi, and Yuichi; though if I can convince Sesshoumaru-sama Yuichi will stay here."

"Why?"

"Time runs short. The longer Mikaboshi is left alone, the stronger he becomes. Right now we know where he is, so now is the time to confront him."

"Inuyasha will be staying here?"

"Hai, he will. Sesshoumaru-sama has dictated that you, Miroku and Ichiro will stay at the Citadel, until our return at least. Your safety can be guaranteed here, especially with Inuyasha in charge."

"So why is Michi to leave as well?"

"Come Rin, if Sesshoumaru-sama does not keep his proximity to her than the wicked witch of the west will try to steal her. Seeing how the witch will not melt when water is thrown on her, the safest place for Michi is near Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Oh," she brought her attention back down to her son. She had been able to travel freely with her lord when she was a child, but now she had the responsibilities of a wife and mother.

"We should not be gone long," Kagome smiled at her, "Besides, you have a mother hen of a husband, what else could you ask for?"

"You are so right," she said while smiling back at the older woman, "I have a husband who cares deeply for his family. I am blessed in many ways."

"Has Michi been by to visit with you?"

"No. It is not a practice that youkai commence in. In fact, I am surprised that she stayed during the birth."

"Really. Why?"

"Female inu-youkai, along with many other kinds of youkai, are known to be particularly vicious during and immediately following birth."

"Huh."

"In fact, many will not even let the sire near the pup. So, the sire is left guarding the den until the pup is weaned, allowing no one to approach the nursing mother."

"Wait, then how did the wicked witch get close enough to ensure her grandpups died?"

"That would be part of the reason why there was never anything more to accuse her with than rumors."

"Huh. She should have melted. Then at least the flying monkeys would have been happy."

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The argument had become circular and Sesshoumaru was done. "You will do what you are told. Was that not the agreement we came to half a year ago?"

"Oh yeah asshole, I agreed to it so that you would protect Kagome. What the hell did you do? You fucking pupped her!! If you think that I am going to let you take her back out into the woods you're wrong!" Everything about Inuyasha's stance screamed aggression.

In the weeks following Michi's arrival, Sesshoumaru had managed to build a small amount of trust with his breeder. However, his brother proved to be a different matter.

Growling out his response, the proud inu-youkai spat, "What this Sesshoumaru does with ihis/i breeder is not for the likes of you to dictate."

"Oh yeah," Inuyasha stepped closer to his brother in raised challenge, "What are ya gonna ido/i with her? You bastard, you can't go two days without beating me into the dirt. Now you want me to stay here and play house, while you and your temper take imy/i Kagome alone in the woods?! No fucking way!"

The little twerp dared to question his control. This was not an insult that he would allow to stand, and neither did the wall of the general study. Inuyasha found himself staring up at the clouds amongst the rubble that had moments before been a wall. A booted foot pressed close the hanyou's windpipe while red eyes narrowed at him.

"She is imy bitch/i!"

"No. She is Kagome," the statement could barely be heard, but it was still heard.

"Never forget little brother, when you asked this Sesshoumaru to protect her, iyou/i gave her to this Sesshoumaru."

"You treat her like a bitch and you're gonna break her. I bent down to you for her. I did it because after everything, she deserves better. She deserves happiness. What did you do? You raped her."

Sesshoumaru's body dropped over his brother's. Inuyasha's hands were pinned under his back, his feet having been swept under his buttocks. Sesshoumaru positioned one knee over his brother's groin and the other weighted heavily on the hanyou's chest. One hand thrust Inuyasha's chin up so high that the hanyou had no choice but to expose his throat to his alpha.

Sesshoumaru leaned down and whispered into his brother's ear, "Do you know the fate that iKagome/i would be living right now if it was not for this Sesshoumaru? She would be ireliving/i, not remembering, all the darkest moments of her life iand/i the existence of the Shikon no Tama. Tell me brother, where was her happiness on that cave floor? What would you have done to save her? Never forget, brother, that she is mine and never again will she be yours."

An instant later Inuyasha could move freely with only the lingering scent of his brother to accompany him.

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Yuichi knew that the time was approaching. Soon the Lord would take his breeder and search out the one that dared to threaten the West. He would go. He had to stay by her. She was all he had.

Frantically, he was searching for some way to ensure that he left with the traveling party. What would he have to do to convince a taiyoukai that he was worthy? So lost in thought he did not realize he had run into something until a voice descended upon him.

"And what has you so distracted, little one?" the lilac eyed, silver haired inu-youkai asked the kit.

"Nothing."

"It is not intelligent to lie to those who can so easily smell it. Come, the Citadel should find peace for a little while, Rin has had her son."

"And why would that bring peace?"

Laughing lightly, Michi replied, "She will no longer be able to harass the servants."

"Oh," a mischievous grin broke across his face, "I wonder if the breeder will be as cruel when she reaches that time?"

"Pray to the Kami that she is not. Rin is a sweet woman, but I have no wish to be near another breeding human again. I thought bitches were bad," a light shudder made its way through her body, "Now, tell me where you were heading with such determination that not even living bodies would stand in your way."

"I was headed off to see Tadashi. He has the most inventive ways of resolving my boredom."

"I had heard that many in this Citadel wish for you two to never speak again."

"It is not my fault that the arrogance of an inu blinds them to the true nature of a kitsune. We may be smaller, but we are used to making up for that inequality."

"Is it in the nature of all kitsune to be so self assured?"

"No, it is in the nature of all kitsune to enjoy a good joke."

"Oh, that is what the 'Day of Pranks' was all about: jokes?"

"To know the true answer to that question you must ask Tadashi. I believe that he should have been born a kitsune, for I have never met another with such a love for jokes."

"Yes, well the more handsome the face, the more they believe their smile hides their misconduct. I shall join you in your search," a light chuckle filled the immediate area.

"Would it be wise for an unmated female of your status to traipse through the barracks?"

"No, I suppose not. How about I join you as far as the eastern orchards?"

The kit smiled at the inu, she truly was a kind one. He had heard the other females of the Citadel and decided that he would stay as far away from them as possible. This one, however, drew you in and made you want to protect her. It was a quality that was very similar to the breeder.

Both females were in possession of a fierce kindness that seemed to defy explanation or logic. Both females deserved happiness, and both had been denied it.

"An orange sounds quite refreshing." With that, both the inu and kit head towards the orange trees in the east.

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Kagome was exhausted after spending the afternoon with Rin and Ichiro. Miroku had tried to help, but for a man who so desperately wanted children he had no idea what to do with one. Ichiro was a healthy boy with a strong appetite. While Rin was still recovering from her introduction to motherhood, Kagome had caught glimpses of the same wonder that filled the eyes of little girl in a flower field with a lopsided ponytail.

Kagome and Rin had begun to build a true friendship, and while Kagome was hesitant to fully embrace the companionship of another female, Rin had done nothing with malicious intent. She had grown into a strong woman who understood the dangers of self-pity, especially within youkai society.

She now was in search of her breathing teddy bear, aka Sesshoumaru. When did she start thinking of him in such terms? Kagome had no clue; all she knew was that with him there she would not vomit upon waking.

Focusing on his aura, her hand absently slipped down to cradle over her children. A warm feeling washed over her as she thought of the cleansing. She had never trusted herself with the power, but he had the faith she lacked.

She found Sesshoumaru staring into a Koi pond in the south gardens. Whatever occupied his mind did not seem pleasant.

His brother's accusation ran through his head in mantra that threatened to drive him as insane as his breeder did.

"i She deserves happiness. What did you do? You raped her/i."

No. That was not what he did. She denied her alpha's call. He reinforced his claim and bonded to one of his pack. Any inu-youkai would understand that.

"iYou treat her like a bitch and you're gonna break her/i."

Surely, she must know that it was not as his brother had said. She had to know. He was many things, many of those being what nightmares are made from, but he was not a rapist.

Was that why she still clung to her clothing when he entered her chambers at night? He was definitely going insane because now he was being haunted by her scent.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

He turned to stare into her jeweled eyes. There was a brightness there that had not been before. It was this stark contrast to his mood that made him realize he had to know, "Was it rape?"

She had not expected that question to ever fall his lips. She thought about just turning and trying to sleep on her own, but the chances of that working were slim to none.

"To me, yes," she turned to look at the Koi pond. The fish found such serenity in those calm waters. Calm waters would be nice.

Why had she allowed him near her? How could she stand so near him? Her scent told of no deceit. The chaos in his mind was invaded once again by the female.

"What was it to you?"

"It was a necessary bond on an endangered pack mate that no longer responded to her alpha's call."

"Oh."

Calm waters.

"What was this?" she placed his hand over their pups. 'Please, do not say it was a mistake. Please.'

He mentally sighed. Then, it was his beast allowing his instincts complete control. Now, it was everything worth fighting for, sacrificing for, protecting for. Now, it was everything and so much more. Sesshoumaru decided that what it meant then did not matter. What mattered was now.

Turning to the small woman, he forced her to look at him. "This iis/i," his hand rubbing gently over their pups, "a far greater bond than this Sesshoumaru has ever known."

Kagome smiled at him, "No, I already told you. This is ours."

Sesshoumaru slide his hand down from her chin to cover her heart, "Is this still scared?"

Her eyes became slightly sadden, "Hai," she covered her hand over is his, "This is still searching for it's 'Somewhere over the Rainbow.'" Her smile brightened again, "It takes time, but I have more than enough of that."

"Hn."

They spent a few precious and quiet moments by the Koi pond.

Calm waters.

center/center

AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

Emily


	18. Chapter 18: On Instincts

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

AN: Thank you to Nekette, FallenTenshi8, TheMikoShivae, and ktshabatie for beta-ing this chapter. The question of how I came up with the idea of using "Wizard of OZ" was raised. The answer is as simple as I wanted to write a scene where Kagome sang "We're Off to See the Wizard" in the middle of a battle. As you can read, it grew far beyond that.

**Warning: Slight sexual content, noted by … at beginning and end.**

Chapter 18: On Instincts

The imaginary three-foot chain that tethered Kagome to the over-grown Chihuahua really needed to break. Why didn't he explain to her earlier that his instincts would not allow him to let her out of his sight? Not to mention that his armor was truly uncomfortable, well the pelt thing was very pleasant. No, this would not do. Here she was retching her stomach out in the bushes, and Lord Chihuahua could not even bother to hold her hair back for her. Yes, Fate was going to be one bald bitch.

Kagome wiped the corners of her mouth with her sleeve. Sesshoumaru had been convinced that, for the sake of travel, her attire should resemble that of a miko, but insisted that the sleeves covered her hands. It was a societal symbol that the humans would recognize her as a 'married' woman.

The others in the traveling party were being more than patient with her; she alone was the only reason that they had to stop at least three times a day for food. She was also the reason that the pace was so slow. While they did not stop at night, Kagome was carried by the tai-youkai; she walked during the day thereby slowing the pace.

Two days, two miserable days of this type of traveling, and Kagome was ready to kill something. She had never felt this kind of impotent rage before. However, if she had to look at mister 'pristine pretty boy' one more time after he refused to hold her hair back, she knew exactly what she was going to kill.

"Come Breeder, we must keep moving," the baritone voice washed over her. It did nothing but to fan the flames.

"Let me shove my finger down your throat every twenty minutes, and we will see how well you keep to pace," her tone matched the taste of bile in her mouth.

Sesshoumaru moved to his breeder and placed a hand upon her head. It was warmer than it should be. He had learned through his years of travel with Rin that if you push a human too hard, sickness was sure to follow. It appeared that his breeder's status of immortality did not completely negate the weaknesses inherent from her human origins.

In a fluid motion, he had her nestled in his arms, moving his pelt to protect her face from the cool metal of his armor. This was the very reason why he wished to secure her safely within the Citadel. He did not fear she would befall the same fate as Izayoi. No, his brother would protect her, and the rest still recounted his night of vengeance for the former Lady of the West.

"What do you think you are doing?" she huffed from her cradled position, "It is a little late for chivalry. The true sign of devotion is when the boy holds the girl's hair back."

He turned his focus down to her, his eyes held mirth at the vision she displayed, "Kagome, you are ill. Sleep now, so that you do not endanger the pups."

"Oh, so that is how it is going be. You are going to use them against me to get your way. Arrogant dog, I am doing the best I can, but I can only press so hard. I am exhausted. I never knew you could be both hungry and nauseous at the same time, and last but not least, Toto has been deciding to bring up the nicest of tidbits to feed on. What else do you want from me?"

Sesshoumaru bit back his instinctual reply. For one so strong, she still possessed a vulnerability that warranted protection. Gently, his fingers stroked her cheek, "This Sesshoumaru can think of many things that he wants from you. However, none of those things are proper conduct for the woods," he could not resist. He had realized that he enjoyed the fire her ire ignited within him, "Sleep Kagome, this Sesshoumaru has you."

She was about to snap back, when he began the rumble that soothed her so well. Before her eyes closed, she sent him one last glare. If he had been within the Citadel, he would have allowed the smirk to grace his face at his victory over her. However, such displays were dangerous. He was already risking much by traveling with his breeder while she was pupped.

Michi was the first to broach the silence when the stoic tai-youkai returned carrying a sleeping breeder. "My Lord, is she well?"

If any other had dared to voice that particular question, it would have meant their life. Michi, however, had proved her loyalty in the subsequent weeks since her arrival to the Citadel. While she did not die for asking the question, she also did not receive an answer.

Sesshoumaru's only response was to quicken his pace, there was no point prolonging the journey.

The sun was nearing the western horizon when the traveling party stopped again. Sesshoumaru was becoming increasingly worried about his breeder. Her temperature remained high, and while she had slept the entire time, it was not the most restful sleep.

Sesshoumaru situated himself so that he could better position his breeder. He hoped that in a more comfortable position, she would find sleep that was more restful. The others within the traveling party set about preparing a light meal for the pupped female. None had practice in preparing human food; however, they all had watched the steps that Kagome herself had taken to cook her meals.

One hour later, three youkai realized that the ease Kagome had shown with the preparation of her food was a trait acquired, like so many other things, through years of practice. All said and done, their efforts produced a palatable tea, and rice that resembled soup. Ashamed to present it to the tai-youkai, they had nothing else to offer, and too much time had already been wasted.

Sesshoumaru roused the slumbering woman and supported her into a sitting position. Michi approached with her head hung low. The silver-headed female offered the cup of tea and a pitiful bowl of rice soup.

The smile that graced Kagome's face at the sight of the bowl set everyone back. Quietly she asked, "How did you know that this was the dish my mother always prepared for me when I was feeling sick?"

Michi could think of nothing else to respond with besides the truth, "I did not know. This is the result of none of us knowing anything about food preparation."

A dry laugh escaped the ill breeder's throat, "Well, be it a mistake or not, it is a very welcome meal."

The remainder of the time was spent in silence as Kagome slowly consumed her nourishment. As she set down the bowl, Yuichi grabbed it. He returned moments later with a bladder full of water, and one clean bowl. The campsite was quickly cleaned, and covered over to leave to no trace that it had been occupied. Sesshoumaru moved once again to wrap his breeder next to his form.

Kagome pulled away from his embrace, "May I please walk for a while?"

"You are ill."

"Hai, but I wish to keep down the meal that was prepared for me."

"Hn."

He allowed her to move forward at a slow pace. Twenty minutes later, she was too tired to argue when he again wrapped her next to his chest. She took a small drink from the bladder, and then she settled into a comfortable position next to her alpha. Moments later, she was asleep.

None of this was any good. She would not be defeated by a mere insane miko. The rebel faction had lost not only its leader, but its direction as well. Many of the contacts that she had made within the rebels were turning up dead.

If things proceeded in this manner, then there would be no helping it, she would have to dirty her hands. One millennium of being able to work in secret, and all it took was one uncouth abomination and one crazed human to force her out into the open. Maybe she had just become too complacent after centuries of never being caught ticked by.

Madoka turned to see her young inu lover approach; it was time she found out how useful he could be outside of the pallet. However, before she tested his worth, she definitely was going to enjoy his skill in carnal pleasures one more time.

Kuro inwardly cringed when he saw the heated look the old bitch was giving him. Behind his smiling canines, he choked back the bile that rose in his throat.

With the tone of an infatuated lover he cooed, "Have you enjoyed peace within the gardens, Madoka-sama? Of course they are paled in comparison to you, my beauty," his hand reached out to caress the shell of her ear.

"I can think of many enjoyable ways to break the peace within these gardens," her voice rumbled with a lustful growl.

…

'_Enjoyable for whom?_' Never did he falter from his self-inflicted role of enamored lover. His hand dropped from her ear to the swell of her breast. Tracing the shape and form in feather light touches, his thumb and forefinger came to clasp around the nipple.

"Would you care to impart your wisdom?" he had bent over her, and flicked his tongue along the shell of the ear his hand had abandoned.

The horny bitch never detected his mental cringe. He prayed to every deity that he knew that this would be the last time he found himself trying to force his manhood into her sandpaper-like core. Could it be that as youkai aged, the response of their sexual organs faltered? Whatever the reason for her dryness, she flew into a rage when he suggested that oils might accentuate the experience. For now, he would do his best to remove his mind from his body …

When he came back to himself, he noticed the heavily breathing female beneath him. Gingerly, he removed himself from her death trap, careful not to allow the hiss of pain to escape his lips.

Madoka turned to look at the young soldier that had just gifted her with more orgasms than she could count. The great Inu no Taisho had never been this generous of a bed partner; the old dog had only sought the quickest means to his release.

…

Now in the afterglow of their carnal pleasures was the most opportune time to bend her current partner to her will.

"Kuro-kun, what are your plans for the future?"

Finally, the damn bitch trusted him enough to try to manipulate him, "I have no grander plan than any other. I search to find a way to secure my future."

"Would that not be most easily done if the future of the West was also secure?"

"Hai, it would," he settled on his back while he positioned the old witch to relax on his chest.

"There are those that wonder what kind of security the West can be guaranteed with a hanyou as the next heir."

"There will always be those who wonder about the security of the West; the true question is whether or not they are strong enough to ensure it themselves."

"Would not a full-blooded descendant from the great Inu no Taisho help in that endeavor?"

"Yes, but one leads us now."

"True, however his heirs are now destined to be hanyou. Could you truly follow such abominations? What would half-breeds know of being alpha? With this is as our future, we not only risk looking weak in front of other youkai, but the humans would not be far behind the others. Have you not noticed how greedy the humans are? They would waste no time trying to take down the great dog clan of the West."

Kuro listened to her, and while he had to agree with the risks that she stated, power was found in blood. There was no way that the current breeder was weak. Kuro had been blessed with the scent of her blood on the island of the forbidden. He had smelled it then, and knew that her offspring would be hard pressed to find their equals.

"Yes, but the only other option is your granddaughter, and she is not even capable of wielding poison. How much further would the blood be diluted in the next generation?"

"That is why a strong sire must be found."

"How are you going to find a strong sire when you are not allowed off the island?"

"There is no need to search for that which has already been found."

Kuro cocked his head to the side. Did she really believe him so simple that trite flattery would be all the encouragement he needed?

Tadashi stood on the bank, staring at the female in the middle of the stream. Her face showed her determination to conquer the scaled swimming beings below the surface. Kagome had offhandedly made a comment about fish, and Michi immediately took it as an opportunity to make up for her poor cooking skills.

In a lighting fast move, Michi speared four fish on her claws at once. The look of astonishment was not hidden on the inu-youkai soldier's face.

"Though I do not possess the poison my uncle has, I still have the blood of the great Inu no Taisho running through my veins."

"His blood truly was great."

"My fishing skills should not be the proof of that fact. Inuyasha-sama should be all the testament to the strength of the blood, for it is in his veins that the great Inu no Taisho's blood mixes with a mere human hime."

"True, but Inuyasha-sama is male. It is in his nature to seek out and prove his strength and power."

"Poor Tadashi-kun," she shook her head ruefully, "you think that only males covet power? Females crave it just as deeply, if not deeper, than males. The difference is that we are not allowed openly pursue it," she said calmly as she walked by the still stunned male.

Michi approached the camp with a triumphant glint in her eyes, her fangs poking out through her smile. Kagome noticed her, and immediately went to take a fish from her. It was not that Kagome did not trust 

her to clean the fish properly, much more that watery rice was simple enough to overlook, but not poorly cleaned fish.

The imaginary three-foot chain once again presented itself, as Kagome made her way back to the stream. It had been three days since she had first taken ill, and the tai-youkai was having a hard time allowing her the freedom of walking unassisted.

She smiled as he moved to take the knife she was using to clean the fish from her. Since her fever had subsided, her mood had greatly improved and so had her ability to observe those around her. Sesshoumaru was fighting to maintain his stoic façade, instead openly lavishing her with affectionate gestures. She did not know how much of it was just Sesshoumaru wanting to display these things to her, or it was his instincts insisting that he do them. After contemplating this quandary for last day, she decided that it did not matter. If it was him, then it was him. If it was his instincts, then that proved how much his instincts truly were a part of who he was. In the end the result would be the same: it was him trying to show her the value that she held to him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, how much longer until we approach Oda's camp?"

"We will arrive by morning."

"Oh."

He stopped what he was doing to look at her. She was nervous about something. She should know better than to hide things from her alpha. "What troubles you?"

"Ha! What troubles me?" she stared off towards the setting sun. "I could not travel more than two days without falling ill, and you ask what troubles me. How are we to defeat Mikaboshi if I am so feeble?"

"It was not weakness that caused your illness. It was your stubborn nature, and it will be that same nature that ensures our victory."

It was still weird to have him offer her encouragement. Weird, but definitely welcome; she thought as she smiled to herself.

The normal routine of the camp ceased when a miko and four powerful youkai strode in. The two silver-haired youkai were obviously very protective of the miko. The silver-haired male spoke when the traveling party stopped walking.

"This Sesshoumaru will speak to Oda Nobunaga, now." None of the soldiers failed to realize the underlying threat if this youkai was denied.

Nobunaga had been enjoying activities that were far more pleasant than entertaining youkai; unfortunately, those activities would have to wait if he wanted his army to still be standing this afternoon. He rose and dressed himself.

When he exited, the sight that greeted him was one he was sure he would never see again. There amongst three adult youkai and one child youkai, stood a miko. Maybe she was not a miko. The sleeves were oddly long and there was a peculiar bulge in her lower abdomen.

"I am Oda Nobunaga." He offered the same respectful titles to the youkai that had been offered to his person. He noticed how the three other youkai stiffed at his address.

Kagome was done with the proverbial pissing contest. "Huh, I thought you would have been taller. Well stature is not everything." Now that she had both their attention, she began, "I am Kagome, the Shikon Miko, and this is Sesshoumaru-sama, tai-youkai of the West. We have come seeking emissaries to the foreign missionaries."

"What is the benefit to this Nobunaga?" He crossed his arms staring at the petite female. She would be a fun one to break in the bed. The growling caused him to look back to the silver-haired Western Lord; Nobunaga noticed the red hue to the amber eyes.

"There will be no benefit discussed in public." She would have continued, had it not been for the very large, growling inu youkai male that tucked her behind his back in an obvious sign of possession.

"If you ever dare to look upon that which is this Sesshoumaru's with such intent again, you will no longer possess what is needed to carry through with those thoughts." Sesshoumaru had been upset when his bitch did not state her place in his pack, but he understood her need to establish her importance in the human's eyes.

Sesshoumaru glared down at the short human male before him, and one hand reached around to reassure his bitch. Kagome felt the clawed hand come to rest on her shoulder, and she decided that the best way to calm the enraged youkai was to remind him why they were here. Guiding his hand down, she could not control the subtle gasp that escaped her lips as his hand passed over the swell of her breast. She had not been the only one to feel the electricity of the moment; the tai-youkai and his beast reveled in the bitch's first sexual response to their touch.

Kagome quickly regained herself, continuing the hand's path down to the bulge that was theirs. The bulge that needed them to save it, Kagome nuzzled into his back while holding his hand to their pups.

"This Sesshoumaru does not care what you are supposed to do _human_, you will not live past this day if you press."

Nobunaga had no idea what he had done to warrant the attention of the Western Lord, but if this was only his attention, he knew better than to risk his wrath.

"We may speak in private this way, Sesshoumaru-sama." With a bow, the human male gestured for the youkai to follow.

When they approached the tent, both Tadashi and Yuichi stayed outside to ensure privacy. Kagome followed directly behind Sesshoumaru and Michi follow Kagome. When seats were claimed, Michi took one behind Kagome. Michi had smelled the other male's lust, and decided visually to reinforce just whom Kagome belonged to.

Nobunaga observed the seating arrangements across from him. The miko sat just behind and to the right of the tai-youkai, a spot reserved for heirs and reagents. The female sat behind the miko, clearly displaying the miko's status above her.

"I am curious as to why you would search me out when it is the foreign missionaries you truly seek." He had never been one to mince words, often times they had a way of being turned back on the speaker.

There was a slight nod of the tai-youkai's head before the miko answered, "It is no secret that while you have not converted, you are an open supporter of their occupancy here. Therefore, it stands to reason that they would be more trusting of your word then a stranger's."

"And what is the message that I am to play errand boy for?"

The reluctance in his voice pushed Kagome to reveal the threat without any preamble. "Amatsu Mikaboshi is hidden amongst them. They do not know he is there, and even if they did, they would not know how to deal with him."

"Amatsu Mikaboshi? Come now miko, we both know that Mikaboshi is not a true entity as Amaterasu is. What game are you playing at?"

This small male dared to question Sesshoumaru's breeder. He labeled her as nothing more than a common liar; this meeting was bound to end in bloodshed.

"I play at nothing. Mikaboshi is more than a will of chaos and malice, but I have no time to convince you. Right now Mikaboshi is bound to Louis Frois. If Frois does not take Mikaboshi to the island of the forbidden, then his purity will not be able to outlast Mikaboshi's hate for long."

Nobunaga laughed; this was too rich. The long-sleeved miko wanted him to sacrifice his best contact to the foreign traders. "Why would I lead a man to fate worse than death on the word of woman? Why would I risk my ability to easily trade with the foreigners because an obvious youkai whore said to?"

Was her hair hissing? No, it must just be a side effect of both youkai growling in such a small place. Nobunaga knew that he was pushing the bounds, but it was insulting that it was a female speaking and not the Lord. If the Shikon Miko traveled with the tai-youkai, then surely this regal inu did not think so poorly of humans.

Did the midget just call her a whore? Well that was not a very pleasant munchkin. No, he definitely was not part of the 'Lollipop Guild.' She might just let Toto bite him if he did not start responding how he was supposed to. He was supposed to be running around singing the 'Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.' What was the midget doing? He was insulting her because she was a woman and calling her a whore.

"It matters not that I am woman, nor does it matter with whom I lay. In the grand scheme of things, I do not matter. I am not the one who has land to lose, titles to maintain for future prosperity. As for what you risk in trading rights, do not tell me that you can find none among your countrymen who are intelligent enough to duplicate their weapon designs. The real question is why would you risk losing to Mikaboshi?"

Kagome's voice never raised, her eyes never faltered from Oda's eyes. She was staring into the eyes of a man who would order one of the most ruthless genocides Japan would ever see. It was a fine line between visionary and tyrant.

"A woman should know her place is beneath the man." Damned, but he had not seen this kind of open defiance in a woman before.

"I have my alpha that I bare for. He is the _only_ one that will ever find his place above me." It was this blatant claim that ceased Sesshoumaru's beast's need for blood. His bitch had just sworn fidelity to only him, and he knew her to be a female of her word. "You called me a whore; you were wrong. Whores sell their favors; I have never sold anything." No, she had been chaste before that morning in the cave, and the closest she had come to a sexual encounter had been her alpha's touch of her breast. "Now, either you are the great strategist that will be hailed in history for centuries to come, _or_ you are just a short man trying to make up for his inadequacies." She actually rather enjoyed the shade of red he became.

Sesshoumaru almost smirked at his bitch's audacity. She was more than capable of defending herself from the likes of this man.

"Would it not improve your standing with the missionaries if you handed them the perfect opportunity to prove their beliefs' superiority to those on Mount Hiei?" She allowed the question to hang in the air. If this did not convince him that he should help, then they would seek Frois on their own.

"Why would the missionaries agree?" It would be a great bonus to remove the thorn of warrior monks without wasting too much of his own effort.

"They will because of what they are. They are missionaries, here to spread the word and convert as many as possible. What better way to convince the people of this land that their beliefs are correct, then to face one of the most fabled evils?"

"Indeed, and what better way to prove that the monks are not as fierce as they claim. Yes, this could work out quite well," Oda said then quietly muttered to himself for the next few moments.

Kagome turned her gaze to Sesshoumaru. She bared her neck to him and then bowed her head. It was the sign that she would not speak again. It was Sesshoumaru's place to determine how this human was to be used, not hers. The only reason she had been allowed to speak in the first place had been her knowledge of this human.

"You will be prepared human; we will leave within the next hour." Sesshoumaru stood followed in suit by the two females, and made his way to exit the tent. He no longer wished to smell the foul stench of humanity.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, what would you have me prepare?" Nobunaga also knew the value of earning an ally in this youkai.

"That which eases the burdens of accomplishing this mission." How could humans be so stupid? This was the best they had to offer as far as strategists? Pitiful.

Sesshoumaru decided that he and his breeder would spend the next hour alone. He could smell the shame radiating off her. She was far more than a youkai whore ... she was more than the Shikon Miko … she simply was and always would be … Kagome.

Sesshoumaru had led her away to a small field of late blooming summer flowers. He did not force her to sit on his lap as his instincts demanded, but he did not allow her any true distance between his person and hers.

"You, Kagome, are no whore," he brushed her cheek with the back of his clawed fingers.

Kagome's gaze dropped from the field to the hands in her lap. "Hai," was whispered with no conviction.

The hand that had been caressing her face dropped to grasp her chin. She was forced to stare into the eyes of her alpha. "You have proven your worth to this Sesshoumaru many times over. Do you think that this Sesshoumaru would take a whore to mother of his heirs?"

"No, but … " she tried to squirm out of his hold.

"There is no exception to that statement. Now, what is upsetting you?" She could be beyond aggravating; however, she was also a rare female.

"Is all I am to you a mere possession?"

"You do not wish this Sesshoumaru to be your alpha?"

"No, that is not what I meant. I do not wish to be 'this Sesshoumaru's' property, like some change of clothes or something equally as trivial."

He could no longer allow her space; he needed her body in contact with his. Before she understood what had happened, she was in his lap and his nose was buried in the crook of her neck. Thankful that he had removed his armor, she reached her hand out to cover his heart.

The steady rhythm of the beating organ and his warmth lulled her into a comfortable haze. He had answered her without words. If she had been a mere possession, he never would have held her so carefully, in such a cherished manner.

"You are pack. Pack cannot be bought and sold, pack can only be protected."

AN: Thank you for reading. Please review.

Emily


	19. Chapter 19: All That Glitters

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

AN: Thank you to Wiccan and Sugar0o for your help. Thank you to FallenTenshi8 and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

**Warning: the flashback is dark; it is not what any would really consider a lemon. You have been warned.**

Chapter 19: All That Glitters

Michi wondered why they bothered to go to the arrogant little human male if he was not even going to accompany them. It was weird, but she got the distinct impression that Kagome knew far more than she let on. Nevertheless, that was neither here nor there; right now Michi was wondering which soldier would push Sesshoumaru over the edge.

Kagome was correct when she explained that most humans do not have an innate ability to sense danger. For if they did these moronic soldiers would realize the deadly stupidity in insulting the Breeder of the West. The only reason that only one had died was … well she was not really sure how Kagome had managed to save them. Their importance must be great, though, considering what the Breeder had submitted to.

Michi knew her uncle never wished to do a demonstrative claiming, but his blood lust had been so great and uncontrollable after the young soldier had dared to touch the Breeder.

**_Flash Back_**

Sesshoumaru was in far closer proximity to the humans than he preferred, but it was necessary to discuss how Frois was going to be approached. His breeder was attending to serving him when a young soldier reached over and groped her.

Before Kagome understood what had happened there was a red-eyed tai-youkai growling viciously, while a severed hand lay next to her on the ground. Distantly, she heard screams of panic and a call to arms.

Without thought to the consequences of her actions she ripped the cloth away from her neck, and presented herself in submission to her alpha. She did not cry out in fear when the cloth protecting her virtue was torn from her body. She did not begrudge that he still wore his chest plate. No malice entered her mind as he entered her without preparation. No reaction that would have been present in the psyche of a modern day woman was forthcoming.

Kagome understood what this was. This was what Sesshoumaru had struggled to protect her from since she had been pupped. This was his inu, his instincts. While he would not hurt her greatly, this was not going to be a gentle affair.

This was a demonstrative claim. He was proving to the humans just whom she belonged to. Anything short of complete submission on her part, and this would not end well for her. Of course, this was not something that she had wished to have occurred; no, it was not pleasant. The alternative, however, was to allow him to sate his bloodlust on both the humans here and any neighboring villages that were in the vicinity. She, at least, was protected somewhat by his claiming her as pack and the pups she carried.

Fortunately, it was over quickly, and when reason finally reentered the inu's mind, he knew exactly what he had done. He had burned his last chance at forgiveness.

The human General offered the offender to the youkai, and within a moment, said offender was nothing more than a puddle of goo. His breeder was wrapped securely in his pelt, which brought the wish … if only she had stayed at the Citadel.

**_End Flash Back_**

So here they sat, two inu youkai and one kit staring down thirty plus human soldiers. Some of the humans were still far too dazed by the demonstration that took place no more than moments before.

He had not been careful with his claws; her hips bore the evidence of that. She had not spoken to him since he had started tending to the wounds he inflicted on her. While the beast had reveled in the act, it now only knew remorse. To top it all off, there was one question that he could not answer: Why?

Why would she bare herself to him when he was in that state? She knew what the result would be. He had made sure that she knew those types of protocols. Never again did he want her to be ignorant of what her actions meant to him and his instincts. Michi had been enlightening her to inu culture, and he had taken the time to explain to her the night before they left the Citadel the consequences of bloodlust.

He could kill the whole lot of humans. She was his, and they all knew it. She was his, and yet one had dared to touch her. She was his, and they called her 'whore.' She was his, and their arrogance denied it.

Sesshoumaru now feared that while she was his, he had lost her. His control should have been better. He should have noticed the boy before he got too close. He should have … he should have done many things differently. Now … the question hung in his mind. It dragged him down into the abyss of despair.

"Why?" The whisper slipped from his lips.

She turned to look at him, "You are my alpha."

The answer made no sense. "You are no dog."

"Do I need to be, to have an alpha?"

"To truly understand what that was with no malice, yes you do." He was not the great lord; he was a male who had wronged the one precious to him. If she hated him for the rest of her life, he would not be able to blame her.

"I understand more than you give me credit for. Too many hold you in respect, _not fear_, for you to truly be the monster you fear I see." She reached across the chasm that he was so sure lay between them. Her fingertips traced one magenta stripe, "Rin told me that I could judge you on the standards of humanity, but it would serve no justice to your actions. Maybe in another five hundred years or so you will be able to understand the standards I was raised with."

Sesshoumaru nuzzled into her hand, he still did not believe that she would touch him, "How can you forgive this?"

She looked deep within his tormented eyes, "How many beings have you asked _anything_ of, much less forgiveness? It might sound petty, but in my heart I will always know that you were the one to bend first."

She laughed softly at his growl to her proclamation. "All forgiveness takes time. I have time, but right now, I need you to help me defeat the one that can break me. Back there you needed my strength; ahead of us I will need yours."

She was beyond what he ever could have hoped for, and she would be the mother of his pups. The question was: what would he be to her?

Tadashi had heard the whispers from the humans. After what she had just done for them, they still insisted on degrading her. This would not be allowed to stand.

Before Tadashi could make his move, another beat him to it.

Michi could not control her rage, she shot forth and pinned the most vocal offender to a tree. "You will not have a tongue to speak such filth again. Be thankful for the breath that fills your lungs," without hesitation, she sliced the offending appendage from the man. She turned to address the rest of them, "There shall be no more comments about the former miko. She is the Breeder of the West, a position of the highest esteem. It was only her mercy that deemed the lot of you worthy of amnesty.

"What you saw was her selfless protection of those who would show her none. She bore the rage of her alpha so that you would not. She bore the bloodlust of her alpha that should have been sated on you. She submitted to kneel into the dirt, not because she is a youkai whore, but because she did not believe that all of you deserved to die for one's stupidity.

"No more. There will be no more insult to the Breeder of the West. Any that test this decree will be met with swift punishment. Kagome-sama may show unknown amounts of patience and forgiveness, but we will not. She bore your punishment once, but _never again_."

Michi walked to stand beside Tadashi and Yuichi. Though they were only three as opposed to the over thirty humans, they were youkai. This group of soldiers would not stand a chance against them. It was as the soldiers began to shift and regroup that the final card was laid on the table: Toto.

The shadow made her presence known with a hiss.

The General recovered first, "What kind of sorcery is this? Does the West now claim to control the shadows?"

Tadashi's response began more as a growl than words. "There is no sorcery; this is the power of the Breeder. She is the one who ensured the success of the Second Banishing. She is the one you owe your gratitude to for removing the threat of shadows from these lands."

The General had long since been unused to anyone speaking to him with such derision that he could not stop the reply, "And yet she failed to ensure that all remained in the Island of the Forbidden."

"Apparently, stupidity is so ingrained into humanity that the two cannot be separated. You will never speak of things beyond your comprehension again. You know nothing beyond your petty squabbles, so if you do not wish to incur the wrath of the West do not test its patience." The male inu fought the urge to take his true form to teach these fools a lesson.

Not willing to back down from the blatant insults flung in his direction the General pushed. "If we are so petty and useless, why appeal to us for help?"

"Sesshoumaru, do you think that I would have been able to forgive myself if I had allowed you to kill all those men?" Kagome knew that he doubted her ability to understand.

"The bloodlust was for them to feel, not you."

"That statement only shows how little you understand about me," she looked deep into his being, and implored that he do the same so that he could trust her words. "You can never separate yourself from your instincts. They are more than just a part of you; they are a part of everything that is you. The same holds true for my forgiveness. I may chose to fight it at times, but it is a tiring battle that I will never win. Please accept that with time, I will forgive all transgressions against me, no matter how small or large they may be.

"Accept this as I have accepted your instincts and we might be able to move past the self made barriers. I am no dog. However, I claim you as my alpha. Everything that status entails I will give to you. All I ask is that you accept what I am."

"Then, what are you?"

Her laugh was bitter, yet what stabbed the most at his heart was the hidden sadness. "I don't know. No one has ever been able to really see me."

The picture before him was not that of a proud, strong female. It was one that most honestly reflected his private turmoil. It was the picture of one who was being worn away by the pressures of duty. Duty that no one truly prepared them for, yet still they were expected to excel. It was a picture of disillusionment. The woman knelt before him; head bowed, hips still bleeding through the bandages, and scarcely enough cloth to cover her modesty.

Even on the eve of his brutal act, she could feel it. She was losing her heart to him. Maybe she had already lost it, but it did not matter because the only outcome of this love was heartbreak. She could never stand aside while he took another. The triangle with Inuyasha, Kikyou, and herself had proven how much she needed to mean the same to the one she loved as he did to her. Being cast off was one thing, sharing him was beyond her.

She whispered her request, "When this is through, you will have my heart. All I ask is that you do not break it in such a way that I cannot repair it."

The silly little school girl no longer existed in Sengoku Japan. She knew enough of herself to know that absolute fidelity was a necessary part of her being. It was part of the reason she took to the wilderness. No male of this era would emasculate himself by refusing the vices that were male-rites.

Kagome could accept his instinctual needs now, but she would not allow him to break her.

His rage grew; this was not how things were. He would not destroy something as precious as her strength. The angered growl reverberated in his chest as he pulled her unresisting form into him.

"Kagome, do not ask the questions of a simpleton."

"A simpleton does not ever realize that they are replaceable."

Sesshoumaru leaned down and nipped her ear hard in reprimand. "Pack is never replaced." He began to sooth the ear with his tongue.

"So I am to stand idly by while you take another as mate? I know that fidelity is not practiced among the males of this era, but I cannot be one of many. I would rather be nothing to anyone than nothing to the male in my bed." No, she was far more than just her womb, more than the apex of her legs. It was last of her futuristic ideals and she would not let go. Her mother had ingrained in her what it meant to be a woman, and she would allow no male to turn her into to a fancily adorned whore.

The growl was not meant to show displeasure, rather it was the combination of frustration and … well he did not quite know what. "This Sesshoumaru will have no other."

The look she gave him was one of total wonderment, "How can you know, Tin man? Is it not the heart that decides these things?"

"You accuse this Sesshoumaru of lying?" Yes, he knew it was absurd that he would swear his loyalty to an infuriating female. However, there was no malice in her actions, no conniving. She offered loyalty. She had all the qualities he would seek out in a female. True, she was not youkai, but their pups were not hanyou either.

"No, I would just never presume that the great Sesshoumaru-sama would be tied so strongly to a mere human." She would not raise her eyes to meet his. She had already lost herself to his warmth. She had not realized how much he had become home. For a little while longer, she wanted to know this feeling, this belonging.

Clawed fingers stroked and caressed her face, encouraging her to look at her alpha. When their eyes connected, both felt the bond. How had they become so tied together? "There is nothing mere about you, Kagome."

She smiled at him without the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Nuzzling into him, she knew that their time here was almost at an end.

Not yet, though. She could stay here a moment longer wrapped in his warmth. This was where the yellow brick road failed to take her; this was where the ruby slippers decided she belonged when she clicked them together.

As she balled tighter into his chest and lap, one word left her lips. It was the word that both had longed for. After so long, it would have meaning again.

"Home."

The General was quite pleased with the silence he had instilled upon the youkai, but that faded as the silver-haired male returned.

"It was an extension of a courtesy that was obviously wasted." Sesshoumaru gave his back to the pitiful humans, "Michi, you will help the Breeder prepare. We depart as soon as she is ready."

The youkai moved about to break camp. No more would they be slowed by these human soldiers. Or so they thought.

One soldier stepped forward, and then subjugated himself to the forest floor. "Please, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The regal dog turned to look at the one who dared his further displeasure. "Hn."

The man had no idea what that monosyllabic response was supposed to mean. Seeing how searing pain did not accompany it, it must be safe to proceed. "I request that I be allowed to accompany your party to Father Frois."

"No. This Sesshoumaru is done dealing with the stupidity of humans." Sesshoumaru turned to resume watching the others break camp, when again the same human spoke to him.

"No, you are not. In the near future, you will be dealing with humans that hold absolutely no respect for your kind. You will be forced to interact with them, despite their disrespect. I assume that it was never your intention to just abduct the Father, hence our presence.

"Please, great youkai lord, allow me to accompany you. I was christened by Father Frois."

Tadashi moved forward to strike down the impudent fool, but his curiosity got the better of him. Without thought, he voiced the question that had been on so many of the minds present, "Why offer to help?"

Daiki turned to the brown-haired youkai as he spoke, "The devil and his minions are the same, no matter what name you call them by. If you say that the devil is hiding amongst the missionaries, and you know of a way to secure him, then why would I not help you?

"True, you could be deceiving us, but it seems like too much effort to deceive a few lowly humans. No, I do not believe deception has anything to do with this. And if she is truly the one responsible for the Second Banishing, then I owe her a debt."

Sesshoumaru had his eyes locked with his Breeder throughout the entire conversation. He was sure that she saw the merit in allowing the human to travel with them; however, he would not be able to determine what she was thinking without holding an open discussion in front of the human swine.

"Enough. Any of those who follow, do so at their own risk. No further insults will be endured."

The regal inu strode over and gathered his breeder. With her secured and the camp broken, the youkai party left the human soldiers behind.

Daiki quickly gathered his belongings and followed the youkai. He ignored the protests of his comrades. This was the right course of action.

Sesshoumaru had been aware that the soldier persisted in following them for the past four days; in fact, he had slowed their pace so that the human could keep up. By the morning, they would be upon the missionaries.

"Tadashi, retrieve the human."

The brown-haired inu darted off and within minutes had brought back a frightened soldier. Sesshoumaru studied the male, and determined that he was not overly stupid, just full of conviction.

"You have followed without approach. How is this conduct to be beneficial to any involved?" Sesshoumaru had no inflection when he spoke. The tone was slightly quieter than usual, because Kagome had fallen asleep a short while ago.

"You gave permission to follow, not to approach. I did not wish to anger you any further, but I do not believe that the missionaries will take kindly to 'demons' entering their parish." Really, why had he followed?

"They may be fools, but the threat amongst them cannot be over-looked. This Sesshoumaru cannot be deterred by pious holy men." His clawed fingers were gently combing through the raven tresses of his bitch's hair.

Daiki watched the loving motion displayed by the stoic tai-youkai. This one was renowned for his viciousness, but how much of his reputation was nothing more than gossip? Daiki was not a fool, and therefore did not the doubt the lethal nature of this creature before him. What he wondered was how cruel and evil youkai truly were? All these youkai had displayed absolute loyalty and protection for the petite, slumbering miko. Was evil even capable of devotion?

"I do not question your power or control in any of this. I am not here to offer my loyalty or service to you," the growling made him swallow hard, "I am here to help ensure, as much as I am capable of, the safety of the man who offered me salvation. My loyalty in this is to Father Frois."

It had been a while since a human had impressed Sesshoumaru as much as this man. His words could easily grant his death, but he was intelligent enough to realize that any falsehood would be detected and dealt with appropriately.

"How were you planning to display this loyalty?"

He felt the sweat pour down his back. He prayed that at least they would carry his body to the priests for last rites. "I planned to push through tonight and speak with Father Frois before your party arrived." There was nothing to do now but wait for the fatal blow.

The 'fatal' blow did not come; instead, there was a suspicious moan from the sleeping miko. Sesshoumaru was having a hard time concentrating on the conversation he was having with the human. His bitch was aroused, her body calling to him. His beast wanted nothing more than to comply with her body's wishes, while his logical side fought to stay focused in the fog. His anger rose as he noticed the human's focus shift to his bitch for a moment.

Sesshoumaru had the man pinned to a tree, claws digging into his neck while airways were slowly closed off. "You would dare covet what is this Sesshoumaru's?!" The red eyes were all the warning needed.

"NO … no, I mean-nt-t n-no disres-p-pect." The whispered plea was honest enough to allow the inu-youkai to loosen his grip on the human's air-passage. Gasping for breath, the soldier again questioned his sanity for pursuing this endeavor.

Sesshoumaru registered what the fool had said prior to the fool's examination of his bitch. "What did you plan to gain by reaching the missionaries first?" Sesshoumaru was once again the picture of stoicism.

Answering a question when one did not know the truth was near impossible. To aggravate matters, the inquisitor would be able to detect any deceit. "I don't know." The tightening of the clawed hand around his throat told him that he needed to pick his next words carefully if he had any wish that they not be his last. "I truly don't know. What I do know is that your party descending down upon the missionaries without them being prepared is in no one's best interest."

"Explain." He dropped the man in favor of returning to his bitch.

Daiki took a deep breath before he began, "The foreigners know nothing of nature's spirits, only angel or demon. I mean no disrespect, but I believe that they would recognize you as the latter. If that turns to be the case, then nothing you do or say would convince them otherwise. Your Breeder would be labeled a witch, or mistress of Satan. They would fight to deliver her from you so that her soul could be saved. You speak of a great evil among them. Would not this evil being ensure that the events occur this way so that he might find the means of escape?

"I am a man of little rank and smaller family, but my faith is in great abundance. These missionaries are good men. Therefore, it is my obligation to ensure their safety as much as possible. If she is as you say, then I would also seek to protect her from their censure. She would be the one among us that deserves it the least."

He was kneeling three yards from the tai-youkai, praying that his bladder and bowels had the fortitude to withstand this encounter.

Sesshoumaru took in the man before him. It was hard to be certain that there was no deceit from him because of the over-whelming stench of fear. Yes, he might prove useful with the foreigners, but his loyalty was already claimed to lay elsewhere.

"You will stay here within sight. In the morning the foreigners will be approached." It was obvious that the man did not relish the idea of staying within the presence of youkai. "Your life depends on your diplomacy with those who showed you your faith."

All within the camp felt the tension of the coming day, except one. That one snuggled further into her alpha's warmth, wrapped by his scent and aura. Her dreams danced with all the colors of the rainbow.

Her hope and faith slowly radiated out to all those around her. Tomorrow may be hard, but the impossible had already been achieved many times over.

AN: Thanks for reading please review. I know that this took a kind of dark twist, but come on. Tell me you did not see this coming. For all those who like fluff, I am not that sort of author. For those of you who like smut, the scenes I have written are nothing I want to go into great detail with. I am working on my smut, I'll call it citrus if it makes you feel better, but I want it to be a moment between the characters that is far more than the act itself. I am working to forge a strong bond between my two leads and I want the physical act to reflect the depth of their bond. There, I hope that makes people feel better.

If you are interested in email updates, let me know in the review or email at .

Emily


	20. Chapter 20: Only the Faithful

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

AN: Thank you to Wiccan, FallenTenshi8, and ktshabatie for beta-ing. Please enjoy.

Chapter 20: Only the Faithful

Her son had proven to be foolish after all. How stupid could one be to travel with a pupped human female? She allowed the laugh to fall from her lips. He left a hanyou as Regent, a holy man, a pet ward, and a newborn human infant all within the Citadel, while he goes tramping across Japan.

That was not the best part, though. He had stopped at a human army encampment and then left with thirty-plus human soldiers. Oh, she did not know whom she needed to thank for her son's stupidity, but it could not have come at a more opportune time.

Madoka had secured the loyalty of Kuro. He would be the next Lord of the Western Lands after mating with her granddaughter. Since the inu was young, he would not feel the need to procreate. No, Kuro's instincts would drive him to prove himself as Lord before siring. That would mean that he would prove his worth as Lord.

After Kuro's dominance was established, Madoka's granddaughter would painfully and regrettably suffer some untimely demise. None would challenge Kuro's right to lead, and he would be free to mate any he chose. His choice would, of course, be her.

The plan was not overly complicated, just time consuming. Yet, what is a century or two when you will ultimately obtain your life's goals. Indeed, time was nothing when you are leading the life of an immortal.

The major catch in her schemes was Sesshoumaru, but the damn pup was playing right into her hands. Yes, she had discovered that he had all but abandoned his concubines. In fact, he did one worse. He was allowing his high-ranking officials use of said concubines and this included the hanyou. While the hanyou had yet to indulge, the insult still stood.

In his arrogance, Sesshoumaru overlooked a very powerful and real threat, a scorned female. True, none of his concubines were particularly powerful, but they had dwelled within the Citadel for centuries. There would be usefulness among these pitiful females; it was a matter of gleaning the correct information and harnessing it.

Yes, the day had been good. In fact it was almost comparable to the look her sniveling daughter's face when the twit realized she was dying. Only one thing could make this day better.

The morning was grey and washed out; it seemed that even the colors from the trees had been drained. However, Kagome would not take this as an ominous sign. Too much hung in the balance to be bothered by portents. She would not fail. She could not fail. Her head was held high as she walked slightly behind her tai-youkai.

The missionaries had been going about their morning rituals when they first noticed the odd traveling party approaching them. They had been under the impression that the countrymen around here had dark hair, yet here approached a group with a curious assortment of hair color.

The tall silver-haired male had a presence that could suffocate a man. He stood in regal glory that told of unfathomable power; his glare was enough to make courageous men soil themselves. It was very possible that he was the type from which locals based their fables of 'demons.' Yet it was not he that stepped forward to speak. No, it was a soldier from Oda Nobunaga's forces that broached the silence.

With a trembling voice that could not hide Daiki's fear, he addressed the missionaries, "We have come to speak with Father Frois."

"Ah, more have come to hear the word?" It was one of the elderly priests that spoke.

The reply came from the silver-haired male, as his growl could not be repressed, "No."

Kagome moved closer to her alpha while caressing him with her aura. For all that he was, none of it would prove helpful in this endeavor.

Daiki was positive that this was going to be his last day on the earth. Perhaps one of the priests would survive in order to perform last rites for all; he did want to enter heaven.

Frois exited from the small building that served as the chapel for the local parishioners. The sight before him was not one that he had ever thought possible. This group was not looking for salvation, obviously. The determination with which they stood spoke foreboding volumes for their visit.

"I am Father Frois. To what do I owe the honor?"

The soldier rushed forward to kneel before the priest. Gingerly, he took the holy man's hand to press to his brow in a sign of reverence. His words were hushed, "They bring warning of grave danger to your parish Father."

Frois took his other hand placed it on top of the man's head in a sign of acceptance. "Then we shall hear their warning." Refocusing on the others, he spoke, "Please, follow me to where we can comfortably discuss your tidings."

Sesshoumaru was slightly taken aback by the genteel mannerism of this man. He did not stand in pious glory before the youkai; instead, he was willing to talk. Sesshoumaru inclined his head.

The group made their way to the small room where the priests ate their meals. The large table in the center of the room was more than adequate to accommodate them all. Quickly, another one of the missionaries served tea to all, and just as quickly left.

The tensions ran high as all gathered around the table. Frois had ensured that all had been served and now it was time to understand the meaning in this visit. "I believe that introductions are in order."

Daiki quickly cleared his throat, "This is Sesshoumaru-sama, tai-youkai of the West, his breeder, Kagome-sama, and three of his loyal subjects."

Frois was taken off-guard by the label associated with the woman dressed in the attire of a miko, "I was under the impression that miko were chaste shrine maidens."

The growls could be heard from all youkai present in the room. Kagome sighed, just once she would have liked to meet someone who did not place his or her preconceived notions on her. Without raising her eyes to meet the priest she quietly said, "Father, have you ever tried to travel on foot in a kimono? While Michi-san has managed to accomplish the feat, I have neither her grace nor poise."

Frois chuckled as he watched the reaction of the others in her traveling party, to her statement. "It is good to see that humility is a universal trait."

"Enough, we have come for Amatsu-Mikaboshi." Sesshoumaru was not interested in pleasantries. His last encounter with humans had impressed upon him the need to deal with things quickly.

Frois was at a loss. "Why would you come here?"

"He is here." The tai-youkai was at the end of his patience.

No. No, that was not possible. It would mean that everything he believed was wrong … blasphemy. "That which does not exist cannot be here." There was no pleasantness to his voice. It was his duty to set these heathens straight.

Kagome shifted in her seat. It was a not-so-subtle attempt to get the attention of her growling alpha. Once she had enough of his focus, she implored to him with her eyes to be allowed to speak. There was no sign of acceptance of her request. She whimpered and bared her neck. This needed to be done as peacefully as possible. Any chaos and they risked losing the bind on Mikaboshi. Finally, with a half snort Sesshoumaru allowed his bitch the chance to speak.

Kagome would be sure to show her gratitude later, "How many sitting at this table are human?" She waited for the priest to calm down before she continued. "Was it not believed, not that long ago, that this world was not round, but flat? When this long-held truth was proven false, did your Holy Scripture and beliefs become any less divine? The only thing that was proven was that there were things in this world not described in the holy writings."

Frois calmed under the woman's words. She did not ask him to deny his faith; no, she asked to admit to his lack of ultimate knowledge. He could listen to the rest of what was to be said. Today was going to be one that he would never forget.

"We have come to warn you of a presence of evil that resides among you and your fellow clergymen. We only know this evil by the name we have been taught, but maybe you have another name for him." She bowed her head to signify that she was done speaking.

One thing bothered the Father, "Is it your claim that we are so weak in our faith that we would allow this evil to reside among us?"

Kagome would not defer to her alpha before she responded. "It is hard to guard against that which is not known to be a threat."

"Ah, but ignorance is no excuse, though it may be bliss." There was something about this particular woman that made the priest want to test her in a verbal spar.

"No, but to err is to be human." It had been a long time since any had thought to give her a mental challenge, and the academic within her still had a need to prove her mental aptitude.

"Though I have not heard it put quite that way before, the validity of the statement cannot be denied. For, if it was not true, then there would not be such a great need for penance."

"I have long since known penitence, but I have found that nothing soothes the soul quite as well as seizing the opportunity of second chances when presented." It was subtle, but Kagome was very sure this man would understand her meaning. If he refused them, then he was denying her the chance to make up for past transgressions.

"So it is by your actions that this evil has come to reside here?" He wondered at the fortitude of this woman's character.

"Hai." It was scarcely above a whisper, however, that did not lessen the condemnation of the admission.

Sesshoumaru, along with all the other youkai, could smell the shame and guilt radiating off the Breeder. Kagome truly believed that it was her failure that found them in the current situation. No, the proud, arrogant tai-youkai would not allow that misconception to fester within his bitch. He opened his mouth and made the first audible declaration of his fallibility.

"It was this Sesshoumaru that allowed Mikaboshi his chance at freedom. The price for that filth's confinement was to be paid by one. Her worth was far more than an eternity on her hands knees in the dirt, condemned to a private hell of not just her own sins, but others as well."

Frois studied the amber-eyed male. It was very obvious that this being before him was not human. Even if one ignored the shape of his ears and strange facial markings, the eyes were a dead give away to his inhumanity. The amber depths told of ageless knowledge, but nothing of compassion and understanding, nothing of the fear of death that was so innate to all humans.

The reaction of the petite female to the large male's statement did not escape Frois' observance as well. There was a slight shudder. His curiosity was piqued, yet he knew that to voice the questions on his tongue would break the peace that had been forged.

All those at the table very honestly believed the danger amongst the priests, but Father Frois wanted some tangible proof. This venture could very well be risking his immortal soul. "I must insist on some sort of proof before we proceed."

Kagome nodded, and then called for the one that would bring light, ironically, to the binding. "Toto."

Frois's eyes widened in horror as the ebony tresses of the woman's hair began to move without wind. Slowly the tiny, shadowy figure climbed from the blue-black locks and then began to slink across the table towards him. He stood so quickly that the chair flew backwards. His retreat from the minion followed the same path as the overturned chair, causing him to stumble on to his back.

Kagome's calm voice rang out through the tense silence, "Toto will not bite you, Father. She will bring Mikaboshi to our sight."

Her words of reassurance fell on deaf ears. Frois began to chant a prayer meant to protect him from the approaching evil. Daiki, too, began to move away from the table and the shadow.

Toto stopped in her approach of the holy man about a foot away from him and leapt to what resembled a rope made solely of energy. Toto easily scaled across the vine of malevolence until she reached what appeared to be a form in the darkest corner of the room.

Toto attacked her one true prey. The shadow fed but this one was filled with so much malice that the shadow child could not hold on for long. As Toto's grasp weakened, the shadow was flung across the room.

Kagome dashed to recover the injured shadow. Cradling Toto in her arms, she returned to her alpha's side.

As Mikaboshi became more visible to those within the room, Kagome gasped in horror. "No." It was a whispered plea, while she sealed her eyes shut. She shook her head to dispel the image burned into her mind.

Mikaboshi's cackle filled the room, reverberating off the walls. His voice was not the tenor that was expected. "Is that all you have to say, dear daughter?"

Kagome was shaking like a leaf, but she refused to give in to this trick. "You are not him."

Again, the voice was broken with a cackle of mirth, "You would deny your own father?"

"You are not him. He died long ago." She could not control the tears that threatened to fall.

"And whose fault is that?" The speaker was obviously enjoying her torment.

"It was an accident; it was no one's fault."

"Is that the lie you have told yourself all these years? Who was it who begged and pleaded until both your uncle and I went to retrieve your prize?"

"I did not know. How could I know?" Kagome finally looked upon the image of her deceased father. _No_.

"Your own selfish desires blinded you to the danger. That, my dear daughter, will never excuse you of the guilt." Kagome watched as a cruel smile played on her father's lips at his last statement. No, he was _not_ her father.

"I was a child. How many children are truly aware of the world around them?" She challenged back.

"So what is your excuse for your mother and grandfather?"

No. No, they never … they never told her of the problems. "They never said anything." Her resolve was failing. "They never said anything."

Mikaboshi moved closer to the woman he was about to break. "And you could not open your eyes and see? The signs of their distress were everywhere, but you turned a blind eye to their troubles."

"They never said anything." It was her last lifeline. Oh, Kami-sama, she was drowning.

Sesshoumaru recovered from the shock of the events unfolding to witness his Kagome breaking. No, she was his. Within a moment, she was wrapped in his pelt and cradled to his chest. "She is not responsible for others' misguided attempts at protection."

The laugh was robust and cruel. This was too good; the dog spoke of misguided attempts at protection. "And you, dog, are an expert on the subject."

Snarling viciously, the tai-youkai responded, "This Sesshoumaru is never wrong to protect his pack."

Mikaboshi sneered, "She was never yours to claim. She was always mine."

The red took over the amber in a flash, while reason tried a different tactic, "And yet, you were too weak to hold onto her."

Raging against the accusation, Mikaboshi moved to strike at the dog's ego. "You could only claim her when she was kneeling defensively in the dirt. You shredded her of her virtue when she had no chance to fight back. And it gets better. She became pupped when you, _dog_, lost control of the beast within you. It pupped her before you knew to stop it."

Sesshoumaru was quickly losing the battle to maintain rationality. Michi heard all that was said, and she could not stand idly by while all were destroyed by this being. Some secrets were meant to be kept. The lilac-eyed female moved to stop this.

She moved to throw the nearest thing, which happened to be the teapot. Her anger was so great; her aim was off so that all that managed to hit Mikaboshi was the hot liquid. The image of Kagome's father began to melt and distort.

It was the sound of the breaking teapot that brought Kagome back to the situation. She could now look upon Mikaboshi without the pained memories of her family. She found her voice, "That is all the great Amatsu-Mikaboshi has right now, isn't it? Words. You have none of your power to rely on. The only way you can escape is if we play into your hands. However, if we ignore you, you are powerless, defenseless, _weak_."

Kagome could not move from the hold of her inu-youkai. It did not matter though; her ki would not harm him or the other youkai present. Slowly and subtly, she brought forth her power and allowed it to dance soothingly across those who were considered ally in the room.

Frois began to regain control of his fear and then became aware of the soft pink glow that encased him. The only feeling he could gain from this phenomenon was sense of security, which was odd considering that he was staring into the face of evil. Then he realized that the glow originated from the woman engulfed in the silver-haired male's embrace.

Kagome began to encircle Mikaboshi with her purity. She tightened his confines, but refused to make Midoriko's mistake. It was not just her soul that would be sucked into the new jewel, but that of Father Frois and, quite possibly, her children. As she ensured that the confinement was secure, she realized that she could not sever the connection to Frois.

Frois would have to be convinced to join them of the journey to the shadows. At least she could clean the connection of taint. She did all she could do. The ki began to slowly pull back into her body.

When the last of her power had returned to her body, she looked to Michi and said, "Tea, huh?"

Michi just shrugged in response. Not exactly a gesture befitting her birthright, but anything else would have taken too much effort to convey.

Kagome laughed tiredly, "Maybe I should have used tea on your grandmother, rather than water."

Tadashi, Yuichi, and Michi all laughed, despite the tai-youkai's warning growl. Frois and Daiki looked on at the happy youkai in curiosity to the joke that they were missing.

Kagome nuzzled further into Sesshoumaru's warmth, feeling the fatigue taking over her body. Half yawning she said, "It would have been better if she had melted. I would find it much easier to forgive your mother if she were dead." With that, Kagome's sapphire oceans closed as sleep took over her body.

Sesshoumaru could not find fault with the first half of her statement, but he did not think his mother would ever warrant forgiveness. He adjusted his bundle so that he could carry her.

Sesshoumaru addressed the two humans, "As soon as you are ready, we depart. She will not be weakened any more than necessary to contain that thing in such a manner."

Frois and Daiki were left alone in the room staring at each other. It was Frois who ventured the silence first.

"So, they are real."

"Hai."

"Not just local fables."

"No, not just local fables."

Frois returned to the silence to reflect on this development. It was straining him to try to force everything to fit within his faith. Shaking his head, he decided he would not fail in this.

"The Lord has decided to test my faith; I will not fail him in this."

Daiki looked at the Father with an unspoken question in his eyes.

Frois saw this and decided to allow Daiki to understand. "My faith will be strong enough to withstand this test of youkai. Once I have proven myself it will help me in the endeavor of converting more of your fellow countrymen."

Daiki nodded his head in understanding

Frois continued with his thoughts aloud, "Yes, we will follow these demons to dispose of that evil one and then we will be able to take care of the demons themselves. It is a shame that the woman will fall with them, but not all can be saved.

"Besides, she has already proven how much a servant of Lucifer she is with that shadow thing she keeps as a pet."

As Daiki listened to the man who had shown him the path to eternal salvation; he felt the queasiness take root within his stomach. Such was his unease at that he began to question his devotion to Father Frois. This could not possibly be the same Father that washed away the sins of Daiki's youth. No, that man had known infinite patience, shown kindness at every turn.

Mikaboshi must still be connected to the Father, feeding him full of these notions. It would make sense that Mikaboshi would choose the moment when the Father's faith came into to question to try to manipulate him.

Daiki spoke calmly, "Yes, so the sooner we begin the journey, the sooner glory can be found in the name of Jesus Christ and our Lord."

"Yes, yes, let us depart soon. It will be very interesting to see what happens when it becomes known that it was a Christian who destroyed this Amatsu-Mikaboshi. No longer will the others be able to deny the power of our faith and Lord." Nodding his own head vigorously in agreement with himself, Father Frois left to gather what was needed for the journey ahead.

A disillusioned Daiki stood in his wake. What should he do? What could he do? If he warned the youkai of what the Father had said, it would surely mean the life of the priest. Yet, if he kept silent, and it turned out to be more than just Mikaboshi's influence behind the priest's words, then it would mean the life of the Breeder. Such a quandary and burden was surely not meant for a simple soldier, yet here he was with the dilemma. The only thing that Daiki could do, without immediately causing threat to someone's life, was pray.

Yes, he would pray for guidance and the courage to face the future. He left the small conference room to seek out the Chapel. He was on a mission to find the correct patron saint to carry his prayer to the Lord's ears, so that he might find direction in all of this.

One other thing nagged at the back of his mind. When had he become so protective of the Western Breeder?

Sesshoumaru stared down at the female within his arms. How much had she endured in her short life? The only one that ever came close to breaking her spirit was him. True, others had broken her mind. The evidence was in her constant talk of rainbows, brick roads, witches, flying monkeys, and some wizard that was not really a wizard. Nevertheless, a mind is more easily repaired than a spirit.

In his reflection on the state of his Kagome … when had she become his Kagome? Loath as he was to admit it, Inuyasha was correct; she was no bitch. While the name was not necessarily an insult, more respect was held within one's own name. To call her only breeder or bitch would be to deny her worth beyond the value of the roles those titles implied. She was Kagome and she was his.

However, he would have to have a serious discussion, long over-due, with his Kagome once they reached the safety of the Citadel. As her alpha, he could not help her heal from old wounds if he did not know they existed. He had pledged himself to her. He would not be tied to an insane female. She would heal; she would be whole. She would truly be Kagome again, and he, Sesshoumaru, would ensure that it happened before the birth of their pups.

This he silently vowed to her slumbering face.

AN: Thank you for reading, if you get a chance, please review. I hear talk of the end. It will come, but not without a lemon and definitely not without tying up all the loose ends.


	21. Chapter 21: Poppy Fields

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

AN: Thank you to Wiccan, FallenTenshi8, and ktshabatie for beta-ing

Chapter 21: Poppy Fields

Inuyasha had been in a bad mood ever since his bastard brother and Kagome left the Citadel. He had no friends. His ears flattened on his head, and realized that was not a true a statement. Miroku was a friend, an extremely perverted friend. And Kagome, well she's … complicated.

No, that did not help. Damn.

So what if he was wallowing in self-pity! He could not come to terms with losing Kagome. She was his first, damn it. Hadn't she promised to always stay by his side? Oh yeah, let's not forget that the bastard had even tried to melt her when they first met. A smirk graced his fanged face.

Somehow, the memory of cutting off his brother's arm was always made him feel better, especially when the vision of Kagome yelling at Sesshoumaru, right before he tried to melt her, accompanied it. Things were simpler before he submitted to his brother. No, scratch that, things were actually less complicated before the demise of Naraku.

A shudder ran through the hanyou's body at the last thought.

It was in a deeply pensive and rare state that the monk found his old friend. Miroku knew that a surprised hanyou was a pissy hanyou. And yet this knowledge did not stop him from stealthily walking up and placing a heavy hand on the unaware Inuyasha's shoulder.

Miroku quickly found himself pinned on his back with a transformed Tetsusaiga at his throat.

"What the hell, Monk? Do ya wanna leave a widow and fatherless child?!" It was all Inuyasha could do to suppress the horror of almost beheading one of his few friends.

Miroku, for his part, could not suppress the grin or the chuckle. "What has you so preoccupied that a simple, weak human could sneak up on you?"

"Feh." Inuyasha fell back into his stance of the non-caring 'tough-guy.' "What else?"

Miroku's mirth died some. It was no real secret how Inuyasha felt about the 'relationship' between his brother and best friend, however, Inuyasha had almost two months to get used to this change. It was long overdue and way past time that the hanyou quit feeling sorry for himself.

"She has always had the most interesting developments happen to her." It was a sagely tone that the houshi used.

"'Developments?' Kagome is, and always has been, a walking target for disaster. Stupid monk, why don't you go play with your new son, or go grope your wife? Just leave me the hell alone."

"First off, why would I leave you alone when you are such a joy in this mood? Second, my beautiful Rin kicked me out of our rooms for a while." Miroku moved to make himself more comfortable on a seating cushion. "I would much rather deal with your temper than hers."

Inuyasha growled at his friend, "Are you saying I'm less scary than a girl?"

"Yes, yes I am, and she is no longer a girl. Time has passed; she is a woman and my wife."

"Keep telling yourself that, pervert. Just because you married her doesn't make it any less like cradle robbing." Inuyasha laughed at the picture of innocence Miroku presented.

"I did not touch her until I made a formal proposal of marriage to her guardian."

"Feh. Whatever, pervert."

Miroku chuckled at his flustered friend, and then remembered why he should be more somber. "Inuyasha, have you spoken to Kagome at all while she was back at the Citadel?"

"No. The bastard wouldn't really let me get near enough to her." His ears flattened and contorted to the well-known Inuyasha pout.

"Then talk to your alpha. Kagome came back from her self-imposed solitude to you. If she had not wanted you to find her, you never would have. You are her best friend."

"Feh."

"Don't 'feh' me, especially not on that. That girl followed you like a lost puppy and then when the past built a wall so huge her dreams of the things you two could share would never be realized, she offered her unconditional friendship.

"Quit your moping. She did not get herself pupped on purpose. If you continue with this mood of yours, Kagome is going to think that you see her inability to stop it as a betrayal."

Inuyasha was not done being a petulant child, "Whatever."

"No, do not do this to her. She, of all people, does not deserve it. Neither does your brother."

"What the hell do I care about that bastard?"

"He is your alpha."

"Keh, it ain't like he really wants her anyways."

"Are you blind and deaf as well as stupid? Listen to those around you. No one has ever seen Sesshoumaru-sama put so much effort into the comfort of another. While he did not dismiss his concubines, he will not be partaking in their services anymore."

At this statement, Miroku heard his friend mumble, "Bunch of weak wenches."

"Well now, not only are they weak, but they smell of other males. Do you really think you brother would bed a female that smelled of another male? He is a Lord, and that would be a disgrace."

Inuyasha laughed at that. "Arrogant bastard."

"Yes, but finally, if you want proof that your brother cares for Kagome, listen to Jaken. For the love of Buddha, all he ever does is bemoan his lord's fate to follow in the footsteps of his father, falling for a weak ningen."

Their discussion was interrupted as one of the generals entered the room with a scroll. Inuyasha took it and stumbled across the first few characters. Really, the only reason he could read at all was because Kagome had taught him.

Inuyasha threw the scroll down in a rage, "The bastard raped her, and in front of group of human soldiers!" His hand flew instinctively to the hilt of his sword with the need to destroy … _something_.

The other inu in the room spoke. "It was not rape. It was a demonstrative claim; she bared herself to him."

"I don't care what you say about demonstrative bullshit. _He **raped** her_!"

"No. _She **bared** herself to him_! The breeder knew the consequences of such an action." The inu growled right back at the hanyou, "For the love of mercy, she bared to him when he was in bloodlust. She took his bloodlust for those who had wronged her."

The silence was suffocating.

Miroku closed his deep violet eyes, "Dear Kami-sama, is there anyone that Kagome-sama would not try to save?" He had meant it as a rhetorical question; however, Inuyasha's answer was much more haunting than the question.

"Herself." No, Inuyasha's mood was not improving. The only thing that had changed was that, for the first time, he was actually glad the frigid bastard pupped her. Now she could not be so selfless without risking her pup as well as herself.

The pace could be compared to that of a snail. The youkai were itching for a good run, kill, or both. While Daiki was showing respect to the Western Lord and his companions, Father Frois did not seem to understand how offensive it was to continually try and draw the breeder into debates.

The Father's attitude became increasingly more haughtier as he realized that he was not going to be able to prove the righteousness of his scriptures to the former shrine maiden. Kagome had never been open about her love of philosophy with anyone. She had first started really reading different disciplines when she realized Miroku's love of a good debate.

Now, she was glad that she put the extra effort into trying to become exposed to as many different styles and theories in the philosophical realm. While she would never claim to understand all the nuances within the theories, she still could use them to thwart any effort Father Frois made to convert her.

Sesshoumaru would have put an end to the loquacious Father's attempts at intellectually outwitting Kagome, but she was quite impressive at rebutting the foreigner. The tai-youkai also made a note to open these discussions with her when he could take the time to point out all the flaws in what she was stating. While there was a great pride he felt in her ability talk circles around the holy man, it also warranted a note of caution.

While being manipulative was not inherent in her character, should she ever find the need for it, she would excel at maneuvering others into doing her bidding. Add that to the fact that she inspired those around her to be protective of her and she would be a greater force than his mother ever could have hoped to be. There would be no other female who would bring more glory to the West as its Lady, than Kagome.

Yuichi had watched all the others for days now. He wondered what the others thought of the strange behavior of the human soldier. At every moment that he could, the man was in prayer. While Yuichi was not really familiar with the beliefs of this foreign religion, he found it very bizarre that the soldier would pray far more frequently than the priest would.

Yuichi watched Daiki like a hawk. He could not shake the feeling that Daiki was worried about something far beyond Mikaboshi. In fact, it almost seemed that Daiki was unnerved by Frois himself. That was weird. Had it not been out of his respect for the foreigner that Daiki risked following them in the first place? When they first came upon the monastery, he treated the priest like a walking Kami. The only thing that Yuichi could think was that something had occurred between the two humans when they were alone after the encounter with Mikaboshi.

Yuichi would find a way to voice his concerns with Tadashi. The silver-eyed inu, for all his childish antics, was a very levelheaded being. It would be good to have Tadashi observe these new events before bringing them to the attention of either silver-haired inu.

The days of travel passed in much the same manner, with each traveler lost in their own goals. Kagome spent much of the time being tired due to expending so much of her ki ensuring that Mikaboshi's bindings were unbreakable. She knew that the effort it was taking to keep the dark Kami bound could only mean that Frois was allowing the dark one's influence to fester within him. She prayed that the Father would not be trapped by the shadows on the island as well. He still had an important role to play for history.

She was sitting and staring at the stars on the moonless night. Her thoughts and concerns wandered back to a certain hanyou. She wondered how he was faring. She knew he relied on an illusion to help protect his night of weakness. It certainly fooled humans easily enough. Would it fool an entire Citadel full of youkai? Really, there was only one she worried about using this night against her hanyou friend, and that one was banished.

While her thoughts lingered on Inuyasha, she was worried whether he would accept her decision about Sesshoumaru. No, she had not sought this out, but she was not refusing it either. The patience that Sesshoumaru showed on the battlefield was being applied to her shattered heart. Kagome had no doubt that he would uphold his pledge of fidelity; she also suspected that the fidelity he offered applied to more than the bed.

Would Inuyasha understand that she needed more than he could offer her? He would always be her best friend, but eternity would be very lonely if that was her only tie to anything.

She shook her head. It would be nice to have a field of poppies right now, nice to fall into a trouble-free sleep.

She felt a clawed hand comb through her hair, lightly scratching her scalp. Kagome now understood why cats purred when you did this to them. It also did not escape her that Sesshoumaru had sensed her troubled thoughts and was trying to soothe her. Sometimes it infuriated her when he did things like this; it almost made her feel like a puppet on a string. However, she knew this was silly. If Sesshoumaru wanted something he would just command that it be done, if not do it himself.

Sapphire eyes turned to meet amber ones. The silent conversation was ended when Kagome smiled at Sesshoumaru. For a heartless ankle biter, he worried about her. No, that wasn't quite right. It was more that his protection extended far beyond her physical well-being. It was in moments like this that she knew irrefutably that her value was far more than a possession. The ruby slippers might not be such a burden.

"In the morning we will cross to the island."

"Hn."

"Yeah, so, I was thinking that it should just be Father Frois, you and I. Actually, I was thinking it should just be Father Frois and I." She smirked at his growl, "But, I realized that I would need your strength once we were over there. I knew I would need you."

His eyes widened at her admission. Many times she had said that she needed one or more of one of the aspects of him, like his strength, but never had she admitted that she needed just him. The warmth spread through him like wildfire. The dog within basked in the bonds only pack could provide.

"Sleep, Kagome."

Cocooned inside his pelt, she laid down next to his seated form. Though her body did not quite touch his, both felt the proximity.

Lulled into comfort by his protection and warmth, she had no thoughts scatter to the looming day. The last thing that trickled through her mind before was, '_Stupid ankle-biter, you are lucky I like you.'_

The morning dawned, yet none could feel its warmth. Daiki had been especially agitated when he learned that only three would be making the trip to the island. It was odd how easily the priest accepted going to the island with the tai-youkai and former miko alone. The bizarre reactions of the humans had the youkai fighting to settle their inner beasts, as if the spirit creatures knew of some foreboding that could not be seen by the physical eye.

They stood on the shore as the small boat approached the opposing island. Yuichi turned to the human, "What have you been hiding?"

"What have I done?" Daiki sank to the kneeling position, cradling his head in his hands, and immediately began to pray.

Yuichi turned to Tadashi for help while Michi was still unsettled and unsure of what was going on. Tadashi stepped forward to tower over the man. "If your silence has endangered the Lord or his breeder, your death will not come until the entire West has had their retribution."

Daiki turned his head up to look at the towering male and saw that the promise was not empty. "I prayed. I prayed for guidance, but … I prayed." It was broken whisper from a man teetering on the edge of broken faith.

Michi moved forward. Threatening the man would do no good; he was obviously not scared of them. Quietly she sat before him and, in the gentlest of tones, inquired, "For what did you need this guidance?"

"Father Frois spoke of eliminating the threat of demons to prove the righteousness of the good word."

"When would he do this?" Her tone belied the rising anger and fear she felt.

"Right after Mikaboshi was taken care of by the shadows." He shook his head and then focused on the female before him. "I prayed for guidance. I sought the only route I could take without endangering anyone, but I must not have prayed hard enough. I never heard the path I was supposed to walk."

Tadashi was done. He had never been one to particularly hate humans, but this last trip had taught him that they were nothing but a pestilence upon the earth. "How did your silence benefit ianyone/i?" he thundered.

Yuichi was nervously hopping from one foot to the other; all the kit knew in that moment was panic.

Tears streamed down the man's face, "If I had voiced my concern, what would have happened to the Father? Father Frois is a good man. He is a good man. He is and you would have … you would have killed him just to be sure he held no threat. This is all Mikaboshi's doing." Daiki was hysterically rocking, as he tried to bring back a sense of right to his body. His faith was slipping from his hands and if he lost it … What … What would he have left?

Michi despised this being before her; he was worthless. "Do you know how many depend on the stability of the West? All your petty human 'wars' will be meaningless if Sesshoumaru-sama should not come back from that island. The West will fall into discord. The one who will turn the chaos to her favor will be the Wicked Witch, my grandmother.

"All the stories you were told as a child about the cruelty of youkai do not even come close to what her black heart truly is. Your faith has turned you weak, or maybe it is your humanity. However, do you not remember that your life was spared because of the forgiveness of the breeder? The lengths to which she went to save the lot of you humans and you believed that she would stand idly while an 'innocent' man was killed?"

Daiki looked up at her in horror as the truth of her question set in. His silence had been damning, and now all he could do was wait and pray. Maybe these prayers would come to fruition.

Michi, Tadashi, and Yuichi all turned from the blubbering man and cast nervous eyes across the water, to the island. Their Lord was strong, as was the breeder, but were they strong enough to beat a dark Kami, a pious holy man, and an island full of shadows?

Kagome had been recovering from her morning sickness, having it become less and less frequent. However, the rocking of the small boat proved to be too much for her. The last half of their approach to the island found Kagome staring at a mix of stomach contents and seawater.

When they made land, Kagome was having a hard time standing between the nausea and the ghost swaying of the boat. She had to lean heavily on the support that Sesshoumaru offered. She concentrated so hard on not falling down that she almost missed the question Frois posed.

"Now what do we do?"

Softly, Kagome replied, "We force Mikaboshi into the shadows while Sesshoumaru-sama and you stay in the light."

"What about you? Wouldn't you have to stay in the light as well?"

Kagome laughed sadly, "It is one of the only benefits of not having a complete soul. The shadows can pass in and out of my memories without actually harming me."

They made their way towards the tree line and Sesshoumaru could feel the rising agitation in Kagome. There was no telling what was going on in her mind, but there was a long list of possibilities.

Kagome had still not solved the problem of severing the binding between Mikaboshi and Father Frois. It was a possibility that if it was not cut, Mikaboshi could use it to escape again. That would really piss her off. She could feel the other shadows push to get at the one they were always meant to devour. Maybe they could help sever the tie.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome saw Sesshoumaru's posture was slightly more rigid than normal. She had never contemplated what this island might hold for him. Mikaboshi's words stuck in her mind. It was not Sesshoumaru that had pupped her, but his beast. While he might not regret the outcome, this whole island was a reminder of his loss of control. The first time he had done that in front of her he had lost an arm.

The tree line was just before them. "Toto, it is time."

The shadow moved from her hair to the energy bond between Frois and Mikaboshi. It was odd how the shadow child had no problems with the light, but the truth was Toto had built up the ability to stay within the light for short periods of time. It was one of the perks of spending so much time with a miko.

Mikaboshi tried a different tactic when he became visible, and he stood before them. It was the image of the great Inu no Taisho. Kagome gasped as she recognized the image, but Sesshoumaru just growled his displeasure.

"It was assumed by this Sesshoumaru that Kami were intelligent beings. Is it that you are too stupid or too weak to alter your scent?"

Kagome could not help the laughter that fell from her lips. Leave it to Sesshoumaru to think so highly of himself that he was even condescending to a Kami.

Mikaboshi was rapidly realizing that he would not escape the island this time. It left one option; take as many down with him as he could. He would relinquish his hold on the foreigner; it was truly amazing how malleable the most devout were. Their beliefs in the righteousness of their chosen paths was so great that they were blind to the evils that befell them. Yes, the priest would continue the dark Kami's reign of chaos long after Mikaboshi had been tethered to this island.

The bitch, Uzume, had allowed her sister Amaterasu to conspire against him, and he was now in front of the prison built to hold him. Yes, well, the dog and his bitch would not make it off the island; he would not be imprisoned here alone.

Two humans and one tai-youkai watched in wonder as the binding to the holy man snapped. Warning bells went off in Kagome's head as she watched Mikaboshi whisper unheard words into Frois' ear. The expression that overtook the foreigner's face was one that she had seen spread across Naraku's many times when the evil hanyou believed his scheming was about to pay off.

The ominous turn of events did not slip past Sesshoumaru as he moved his body his body in front of Kagome. He was not sure what the priest would attempt, but Kagome and their pups would not be left unprotected.

"Yes, yes that would work nicely," Frois was muttering to him.

Kagome took the moment to regain herself and then gathered her ki. She shot it forward, encasing Mikaboshi, and with the last of her strength, she slammed him into the darkness beyond the tree line. There was no time to recover her strength before Frois made his play.

The priest knew he had no chance at taking the youkai head on, but he remembered, from the local fables, that youkai were susceptible to the purity of holy men and miko. He was a holy man and his faith was in the one true God, so there should be nothing purer.

"No longer will humanity be plagued by your filth; you and your whore will not leave this island. The might of the one true God will be known when one of his servants manages to bring you down. " The priest began an incantation for exorcism.

Kagome was confused and the growling and snarling seven-foot Chihuahua was not helping. "Why would you listen to one so hate-filled and evil?" Really, she was trying to understand.

"Being as tainted as you are, I am not surprised that you do not recognize a messenger of God." Slowly the Father was herding them towards the tree line.

Sesshoumaru was very aware of the intent of the insane man in front of him; he was also very aware that before anyone could blink the foreigner could be dispatched. What he was not sure of was the reason behind the pleading tone in Kagome's last question.

"Do you not hear how the shadows attack him? The shadows' only food is the darkness and malice that dwells within us all." Kagome did not want to think of the consequences if Sesshoumaru killed the priest.

"Demons are always happy to attack the servants of God when they are left vulnerable. You should know, Mistress of Satan, it was you who offered him up to those shadow things."

Sesshoumaru was having a hard time fighting his beast's, and his own, need for retribution against the harsh words spat at one of his own. His youki was rising; he knew Kagome was aware of it and it was adding to her agitated state.

It was all she could do to keep from panicking. Frois had pushed them up almost all the way to the tree line. Sesshoumaru's rising youki would allow a pathway for Mikaboshi to escape, and she was so drained she would not be able to stop him. Kami-sama she wanted off this island. Wait …, no, she wanted off this island with both Sesshoumaru and Frois, and she did not want to have to release the shadows to hunt down a free Mikaboshi. Was she asking too much?

AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

emmaren


	22. Chapter 22: AntiClimatic

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

AN: Thank you to Wiccan and FallenTenish8 for beta-ing

Chapter 22: Anti-Climatic

The lethargy was slowly taking over her body. Her mind, however, was flying at a million miles a minute, although it kept hitting every pothole along the way. Sesshoumaru's youki kept rising, spreading to eliminate the threat that the convoluted holy man posed. Not good.

Kagome's legs trembled, threatening to give out under her weight, but she had to find a way to stop this insanity before the whole of Japan suffered for it. Kami-sama, what had she done wrong this time? Was it because she was trying to get off the island? Was she that tied to Mikaboshi?

No! She had done everything to the best of her ability. It was not her fault that the Kami refused to reveal their plans. Besides, she would no longer be just sacrificing herself; she would also be denying her children the right to live. None of this was their fault after all. She had committed her sins and she would pay for them, not her children. The problem right now was how to stop an over-grown ankle-biter who was beyond arrogant and stubborn.

Kagome worried that if she tried to touch his arms or legs, it would set his instincts off by compromising his readiness for battle. Her ki was far too low to allow her to push it through the armor covering his back. Soon his youki would rise to the point that he would not even notice her diminutive amount of reiki.

Why had she been so foolish as to come to the island without the others? Oh yeah, her insane need to protect those around her.

The pelt moved in accordance to Sesshoumaru's wishes and secured Kagome to him as he prepared to strike out against the foolish holy man. It was then that his attention began to be pulled in another 

direction. His Kagome was using what little ki she had left to calm him through his pelt. He was struck by just how weakened this whole encounter had left her, but another thought began to emerge.

Why? Why would she risk the use of her so severely depleted energy to calm him? Just what was it that she knew and hid from him that would cause this plea? He turned his head slightly while raising her up with his pelt so that he could see her.

Her eyes were glassy and unseeing. The voice that weakly reached his ear confirmed how exhausted she was.

"You mustn't … kill him. Must take him … with …" Kagome lost her battle with consciousness before she could finish, but he understood that for some reason she wanted this pest saved.

The logical side of his being fought against the baser side that screamed to eliminate, no, eviscerate the foolish man that threatened him and all who were his. He knew however bothersome her pleas was that she would not have pleaded so strongly if she did not have a very good reason to do so.

Sesshoumaru knew that she held knowledge that no other could claim, and his beast snarled at the fact that she still refused to share it with him. However, his more logical side had begun to understand her reasons behind her silence. Yet this was not the time to be hashing this type of debate out in his head.

Sesshoumaru had also noticed that the moment his youki receded some, due to Kagome's efforts, the roar of the shadows had been very close to the light on this side of the trees. In his instinctual rage, he had almost allowed Mikaboshi freedom again. His desire to protect what was precious to him almost caused more harm. He cursed every Kami for the burden they laid on the woman passed out on his back.

Sesshoumaru refocused all of his attention back on Frois. The holy power within this man was different from those native to this island, but it was still holy power. He noticed the look of triumph in Frois' eyes when the mortal noticed that his youki had started to recede. Did the fool actually believe he was winning?

Yes, but that would work to Sesshoumaru's advantage because the tai-youkai could already see the taint that Mikaboshi left behind, swirling with Frois' power. There would be no damage to him from this power. The only problem was ensuring that Kagome was not exposed to it at all. She had left herself utterly defenseless to save this foreigner's life, which meant that their pups would also be at risk.

Nothing would stop Sesshoumaru from ensuring the safety of his pack; nearly a millennium alone was too long for an inu. Sesshoumaru was quickly becoming aware that his sanity was closely tied to the health of his pack. If something were to happen to those who were most precious to him, Kami-sama have mercy on those who lay in the path of destruction and terror he would wreak on the land as retribution.

Sesshoumaru cocooned Kagome further in his pelt, and then began to wrap his youki around her. Before he made his move, he assessed that his youki completely sealed her. With Kagome and their pups safe, faster than any mortal eye could follow, Sesshoumaru rendered the foreigner unconscious.

Sesshoumaru watched impassively as the priest's power dissolved into the air around them. His actions had been simple but lacking considering his beast was still clamoring for the disembowelment. All in all it was very anti-climactic. Staring down at the vulnerable man, Sesshoumaru felt no satisfaction. For the foolish threat, this man's blood should be coating his claws. Nothing. Nothing at all, not even a startled yelp.

Sesshoumaru glanced from the man to the boat that would be used to leave this island. It was a good thirty yards, too far to toss the man without risking damage to the boat and/or the idiot human. A growl of frustration left the stoic inu-youkai's mouth.

He would have to drag the man to the boat, which meant that he would have to stay in physical contact with the filth. Sesshoumaru growled more, as he felt Kagome snuggle further into his pelt. While Kagome occupied his thoughts again, he wondered if this man truly held a role in history, or if it was just her trying to save another. If it was the latter, he was going to be highly annoyed at her.

Stifling the revulsion he felt, Sesshoumaru set about accomplishing the task needed to leave the island. At least this would be one more time where Kagome would know her trust in him was not misplaced.

Michi had stood vigil on the beach ever since Daiki had shared his hidden knowledge. The only pack she had was across the water in unknown peril. It took everything she had not to attempt to swim across to them.

Tadashi refused to allow the kit to stand beside Michi; there was no point in allowing the kit to wallow in fear. Instead, he decided that Yuichi's fox magic could be used to teach Daiki a lesson as well as focusing Yuichi's attention somewhere else. Tadashi would never openly claim the kit as his own pup, but the more time he spent with the kit, the more Tadashi saw him as such.

She stiffened as she saw the boat appear; her heart sank into her stomach when the only figure she could discern was that of her Lord. Never did she doubt that he would return, but as for Kagome... No, that woman was far too precious to be lost to that iaccursed/i island.

Yuichi was the first to notice the difference in the female inu. He sought to find the source of her distress. Moving to stand beside her, he searched the approaching boat with more than his eyes. It was then that he noticed the auras. Yes, auras.

"She is there, behind Sesshoumaru-sama," the joy he felt bubbled into his voice.

Michi straightened her slumped form as she prepared for her alpha's return. The next words that the kit spoke raised the anxiety that had been ebbing.

"There is something wrong. Her reiki is almost completely gone from her aura. Dear Kami-sama, what happened on that island?" Yuichi whimpered. He voiced a stray thought as Tadashi came to stand beside him, "I didn't think a miko could deplete her reiki so much."

Tadashi's subdued voiced replied, "Most miko cannot access their reiki after the purity of their body has been forfeited, the ki being sealed in their blood. It is for that reason that those selected to be guardians of relics remain chaste until another of suitable strength is found.

"It is a testament to Kagome-sama's power that she can still access her reiki, even while carrying hanyou in her womb."

Yuichi bit his tongue to repress the urge to correct the inu male that was mentoring him in much the way a father would his own son. It had been decided, by Sesshoumaru, that no one was to know that she carried full-blooded youkai pups. Yuichi did not understand the reasoning behind the decision but he was not about to cross the tai-youkai.

The three youkai stood in wait for the small boat to make land; Daiki had been left to his blubbering. Tadashi waded out into the waters, helping the boat make landfall so that Sesshoumaru would not have to wet his boots upon disembarking.

Sesshoumaru gathered Kagome to him, then stepped out of the boat. He kept his back to both the island and the boat while he gave his decree, "That one," he motioned slightly towards the boat, "is to be bound and tied. We move from here, now."

Sesshoumaru set off at a steady pace towards his ancestral home, while the others made sure his orders were followed and nothing remained of their camp.

The sun was setting just as Kagome began to rouse in Sesshoumaru's arms. When her eyes began to flutter open, the first thing he noticed was that the ring of silver was nowhere near as apparent as it had been. He wondered if, with time, it would fade completely.

Finally, when Kagome's eyes focused, she was staring directly into Sesshoumaru's amber pools. She smiled as she noticed the slightly perturbed look he was giving her, meaning that he had not killed the priest. Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off.

"We will be depositing the foreigner and the other in the nearest human village. This Sesshoumaru will not travel with such any longer."

"Hai, my Lord," her voice still husky from lack of use.

A single brow rose on the face of the inu-youkai. He had expected an argument from her along the lines of: "We are now responsible to ensure their safety."

Kagome had realized that if they all made it off the island, Father Frois had to cleanse himself. The taint that the priest allowed from Mikaboshi was his to amend, not hers. She had done everything she could to ensure that Mikaboshi could not corrupt this foreigner, but the priest's weakness of mind had been his downfall.

There was one thing that she needed to do. She hoped that she had not slept too long this time, however, as Toto was no longer with her that probably was not the case.

"May we go to Edo?" Her eyes pleaded her case while his silently questioned 'why?'

"I would like to finally make peace. The Goshinbuko by the old Bone Eater's well is the last connection I have," she whispered it as her eyes focused on something unseen to all others.

Internally Sesshoumaru was snarling and thrashing about; she would dare to claim connection to anything but him? No, she was his. She had accepted him, and she was his. Though the internal war raged between Sesshoumaru and his beast, his voice betrayed nothing. "Connection to what?"

"To my brother, to the one that I failed, the one I could offer nothing to but my back." Shame resonated in her voice.

This was something that she had never told him before. What could have happened that this woman would sever ties with her pack, no her brother?

"Explain."

"When I am more rested I will answer your questions. However, I have questions of my own." She laughed at the soft disgruntled noise that he made.

Sesshoumaru was not pleased with her response at all. It was not that he was opposed to telling her things of his past, but that she would still be hiding things from him. However, he would take her to this tree. He would not deny her the peace she sought, but he would first get rid of the human pests.

Kagome knelt within the roots of the Goshinbuko. Her hands clapped together three times before she sent her prayers for her brother. The images of her brother's face in the police stations haunted her. It was a then that she vowed to live long enough to take care of him once again. Too many had been ruined because of a stupid jewel, because of a Kami's unrequited love. She could not save those already lost, but she would ensure that Souta did not become any more of a victim.

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome. She prayed in a trance-like state; the only clue to her inner turmoil were the tears that trailed down her checks. This was enough, her self-flagellation was not healthy for her, nor was it healthy for the pups.

"Kagome." Her alpha's called pulled her from her pained memories.

She turned to look at him. "Hai."

"You will tell this Sesshoumaru what causes this pain." Though his tone was not harsh, it left no room for her to argue.

He had waited patiently while she paid her respects, but he would wait no longer. Therefore, it was there, under the boughs of the Goshinbuko, that Kagome told him the painful memories she had shared with no one.

She told him of the fateful night both her father and uncle died. How she had whined until her father agreed to make her last birthday as the only child special. How, because of her, both her mother and aunt were widowed, her brother never even being held by his father.

She told him of the years she was so busy struggling to find jewel shards and pass school that she never noticed the strained faces of her mother and grandfather. How she was so hurried that the slow disrepair of the shrine and the grounds never registered until it was too late. All the signs that she ignored; the signs that were telling her of the desperation of her mother and grandfather as things continued to decline.

She told him of what had happened when she went home the last time, her brother's pleas to not be left alone. The emptiness she felt when she severed the magic of the well. She spoke of Sango; how the slayer would send her scathing looks for the last few weeks of her life.

The loss of Shippo; the death, by her hands, of Kohaku, all these things she poured out of her soul. She poured out her failures, her heartbreak over the hanyou and dead miko. Anything and everything that she had suffered and tried to carry on her own; Kagome unburdened herself and surrendered to her alpha's strength.

It was then, nestled and encased in his warmth, that she voiced the last question that plagued her, "Sesshoumaru, was it honor or pride?"

The tai-youkai looked at her with a questioning gaze, not really sure what she was referring to, and so Kagome clarified, "On the island, the first time."

He stiffened next to her. This was the one question that he would have happily avoided for the rest of his life. Slowly he began, "There is no honor in allowing a pack mate to suffer such a fate. As your alpha, whom you had submitted to, I was honor bound to use any means to ensure you would remain on your hands and knees in the dirt." Kagome laid her head back down on his armor-covered chest. Sesshoumaru's clawed hand gently, tenderly raked through her obsidian tresses as he continued, "However, I cannot remember another who has managed to insult this Sesshoumaru's pride as much as you, Kagome."

She laughed slightly at his statement; that was not at all the reaction he had expected from his admission. The next thing she said spoke volumes about her unique outlook on life, "Inuyasha used to tell me how useless I was, but even in the beginning of all this, I was apparently quite effective at pissing off my foes."

"That is not a trait to encourage."

"No, no it is not. However at times it is best to stick with what you are good at, and besides I am still here. After all that I have been pitted against, I am still here. I must have done something right."

"You submitted to this Sesshoumaru as your alpha."

It was a true heartfelt laugh that fell from her lips, "Arrogant ankle-biter." Kagome, for the first time in many years found a dreamless sleep.

Sesshoumaru gathered her body to himself and set out for the Western Citadel. Tadashi, Michi, and Yuichi followed suit. They had been absent too long.

Kagome had just come from visiting with Miroku, Rin, and Ichiro. It astounded her how much Ichiro had grown in the few weeks that they had been gone from the Citadel. It also astounded her how much her own stomach had grown to offer visual proof to all of the life she carried within her.

Kagome meandered slowly to where she felt Sesshoumaru's presence. Her morning sickness had subsided, but she still sought him out when she felt the urge to sleep. It was in his care that she felt safest. Her guard dog would keep watch over her and their pups when her unconscious mind no longer could.

Suddenly, she became aware of exactly what part of the Citadel she was entering. It was the concubine compound. Her footsteps faltered. Did she really want to know if his word was false?

She shook that thought from her head. This was Sesshoumaru. He was many things, but he was not a liar. Renewed in her faith, she moved to find the one she sought.

Sesshoumaru stood in front of the doors of Miyu's chambers, glaring at his naked general. He had not been pleased that, once the generals and others were granted access to the concubines, said concubines had been forced to entertain non-stop. While he did not necessarily care for the females, it was the duties that were being neglected that upset the tai-youkai.

Kagome 'eeped' when she noticed that the other male was naked, and she quickly turned her back so that she would not be faced with further male nudity.

With Kagome's presence, Sesshoumaru knew that the reprimand would be all the more insulting. "If you wish for common whores, then you will go to a whore house. The concubines have been faithful servants to this Sesshoumaru for over a hundred years; they will be treated with respect. The disregard that you have afforded to what is this Sesshoumaru's has sullied any chance these females had at finding respectable homes. All will cease or it will be your sons that find themselves mated to what was so harshly used.

"It is only your faithful service to both my esteemed father and myself that stays this Sesshoumaru's hand. There shall not be another warning, in this or the neglecting of responsibility."

He turned and strode away. Sesshoumaru knew by Kagome's scent that she was tired. Unfortunately, she would have to find rest in his study, there was too much to be done. Really, what did he expect from Inuyasha?

Sesshoumaru strode into his study and sat behind the desk. While he began his much needed work, Kagome nestled herself next to him, quickly falling asleep.

A short half an hour later, Sesshoumaru had to suppress the frustrated growl that dared to attempt to escape his throat. He enjoyed her proximity, especially while she slumbered, but her body had been calling to him. The scent spoke of her need and wants to be filled and, quite frankly, Sesshoumaru was finding it harder to ignore her call.

His body ached for release, yet he could do nothing but suffer through it until she agreed. His need was so great that, at times, he considered broaching the matter with her, but he held his tongue. He had vowed to himself that the next time she would be more than willing partner.

Sesshoumaru repressed the sigh; it was going to be a long drought.

AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

emmaren


	23. Chapter 23: Climatic

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

AN: Thank you to ktshabatie and FallenTenshi8 for beta-ing.

Warning: This entire chapter is one big lemon, you have been warned.

Chapter 23: Climatic

This chapter is one big lemon. Due to the rules here, I am not supposed to post it, therefore I invite you to read it at mediaminer. The link is as follows, just remove the spaces:

http : / www . mediaminer . org / fanfic / view ch . php ? cid 552220 & submit View + Chapter & id 151941

Thank you.

If lemons are not your cup of tea, then please proceed to the next chapter which has been posted.

Okay there is a problem with the above link, therefore I have added a link to my profile at mediaminer here on my profile at . Please use that link if the above link gives you problems. Thank you for reading.


	24. Chapter 24:Tin Man and the Lion

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND CO., NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ**

AN: Thank you to FallenTenshi8 and ktshabatie for beta-ing.

On two chapters were added at once. On mediaminer 5 chapters were added. Please back up to the correct chapter.

Chapter 24: Tin Man and the Lion

Sesshoumaru had been awake for hours before the sun signaled the new day. He had been carefully and gently roaming his hands over the exposed flesh of his female. There was now a new appreciation of her breasts, and while he could not fondle them the way he wanted to without waking her, he enjoyed the way the nipples would occasionally pucker under the lightest scrape of his claws.

Her skin was the color of palest ivory while the nipples would darken to a rich pinkish, tawny color when beading up to form the succulent buds. In his many years, he had never known any part of the female body to test his will or inflame his passion. She, however, was extremely addictive.

As the sun crested the eastern horizon, he noted the increase in her heart rate and breathing. His beast was practically straining in anticipation. Soon, yes soon, she would be awake and his hours of self-made purgatory would end leaving him to find salvation. Although she burrowed further into his warmth in a vain attempt to remain asleep, it was the vibrations of his approving growl that brought her back to the conscious plane.

Sapphire eyes focused and a voice heavy with sleep greeted him, "Good morning."

"Hn," was his response as he moved in to lick her sensitive neck.

Her aroused moan was the most gratifying responses he had ever received in his long life. He swam in the scent of her arousal as he carefully rolled her onto her back. The taunt peaks of her breasts demanded his full attention; far too many long mouth watering hours had passed being denied his favorite treat.

The homage he paid to her chest lacked nothing; he licked, teased, nipped, pinched, massaged, sucked, and caressed every centimeter of her breasts. The symphony that she created with her cries and moans was the best music the inu had ever heard. Her hands danced across his back and arms, scratching paths and patterns while she encouraged his adoration of her body.

However, this lovely morning activity was suddenly stopped as her voice rang out in a completely new tone.

"Oh!"

Sesshoumaru looked into the face of his female to find a smile and twinkle in her eye that was devoid of any lust or heat. No, what was there was sheer joy. Kagome grabbed one of his hands and brought it down to rest over her swollen womb. Slight confusion clouded Sesshoumaru's mind until he felt the movement.

His eyes quickly focused on the protruding abdomen that held their pups, while his hand again felt the movement on his pups again. He moved his body so that his head was directly over their young. A series of low growls was issued from the tai-youkai. Kagome almost laughed when she realized that he was talking to them in a tongue that she would never truly understand, and then there was sadness. She realized that her children would have a bond with their father that she could never be a part of.

"You did not tell this Sesshoumaru that the movement could be felt." His rich voice brought her back from her saddening thoughts.

She smiled at the frustration in his eyes; ironically this was a bond with their children that he would never be a part of, "I was not completely sure before that it was the babies. Would you have liked me to place your hand on my stomach for mere gas?"

Sesshoumaru was not overly pleased with her answer, but he truly had expected nothing less from her. One part caught his attention, though, and it was her reference to 'babies.'

"There is a good chance that our pups will be born in their true form. It is how all youkai are born, and I do not see your being human making any difference."

"My being human will make a difference on many things…" Her eyes were distant, he knew that there were fears and thoughts that she was not sharing with him. "However, I will still be their mother, even if they come out as little fluff balls."

Kagome tried to picture them as puppies inside her, but she could not quite make it work. This was just one more thing to accept. She seemed to being doing that a lot these days. It was amazing at the things that one could accept in the name of survival.

"Do not hide." Sesshoumaru had moved to sit up, pulling her into his lap.

"I'm not hiding, I'm thinking." She frowned at him while moving to find a comfortable spot as she took his hand and studied it. "I would share my thoughts with you, but right now they are so jumbled that it would be hours of non-stop babbling. Would you really prefer that to the silence?"

Sesshoumaru noticed that she was comparing his hand to hers, noting the different placement of his calluses to hers, the clawed fingers verses her blunt nails, the size, etc. Finally, she broke her silent examination, "I won't understand them…. In their lives there will be things that I will never understand, and can never have a hope to understand."

He took her hand in his and placed it over their pups. This was not what he had wanted this morning but it was something that needed to be addressed for the good of their pack. "Does that mean you will love them any less?"

"No!"

"You will understand the important things; the rest can be explained with patience. You already know, understand, the most important thing to all inu-youkai, loyalty. Kagome, our pack will be strong. You have granted this Sesshoumaru pack, and I will allow nothing to hurt that pack. This I swear to you.

"Besides, if you have proven your worth to this Sesshoumaru, so much so that I offer you the patience of explanation, then how can you believe our pups will grant you less?"

Her laughter filled the room. She twisted in his lap, kissed him on the lips, long, and slow while barely able to suppress the grin.

"Thank you."

BREAK

Kuro would have cursed if the witch had been out of earshot. How in the seven hells, did she expect him to be able to walk back into the Citadel with any creditability at all? He was nothing. A pup of no birth, no rank within the army, nothing.

In fact, the only thing that he could claim as any distinction to his person was that he was a male-concubine to a sadistic bitch. Yes, he had gone far in life.

Kuro lifted his eyes to the bane of his existence; he would revel in the bitch's blood when she fell. A quick nod of his head, and then he was on his way back to the Citadel. He would find a way to contact Miyu, the favored concubine of the Lord, and enlist her into the plot.

If she fell into the ploy then he would be doing a service to the West by routing out another treacherous female. His mind wandered for a few moments and then it hit on a thought that made him think that there was a possibility of success. If he had managed to convince the former breeder that he was a contented, no… iamorous/i, lover then the task before him should be easier by comparison.

BREAK

The morning bathing had been interesting. No, it had been wonderful even though it was not the most efficient.

Sesshoumaru had insisted on joining her, though now she was sure it was just to finish what had been interrupted in their room. A goofy grin crossed Kagome's face as she could still feel the phantoms of Sesshoumaru's hands rooming her body.

She knocked softly on the door and entered after Rin's voice called from within. Kagome's goofy smile faded to a face flush with embarrassment as she noticed Michi's nose twitch and a knowing gleam in both females' eyes.

"I think I will be leaving now," Kagome said as she made way to retreat the way she came.

"No!" it was cried in unison by both females.

Michi quickly stood to head off the embarrassed woman. Sesshoumaru's scent was very strong, so it calmed Michi's mind considerably.

"There is no offence meant, but surely you know the entire Citadel knows what occurred last night and obviously this morning." Michi could not repress the grin that played on her face.

Kagome paled, "The entire Citadel?" It was barely above a whisper.

Rin laughed, "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama was quite loud in his announcement." Her brow waggled in her best imitation of her husband.

"If you are not careful, Rin-chan, your son will turn out with the same afflictions as his father," Kagome mock scolded in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.

Rin turned to the sleeping face of her son and then back to Kagome. "And what affliction could any accuse him of; expect in his youth he was rather zealous in showing his appreciation of beauty?"

Kagome joined Rin's laughter, "Yes, Miroku, the pious monk, who is more than happy to personally demonstrate some of life's more tempting sins." Kagome moved over to whisper to Ichiro, "But there are few who could ever hope to claim to be a better friend."

"Yes Kagome-sama, we will be sure to visit often so that you can regal Ichiro of his father's valor."

Kagome's head snapped in Rin's direction and she moved quickly away from the sleeping babe. "Rin-chan, you are leaving the Citadel?" The pain of losing such a dear friend was evident in her voice.

Rin smiled sympathetically at the older woman, "Yes, Miroku and I believe that it will be for the best. Soon, perhaps in another month and half, the West will be welcoming its heir. It would be best for all if Sesshoumaru-sama did not have to worry about the tension of having more humans within his walls. However, with Kirara it will be easy to come and visit."

Michi noticed the crest-fallen look on Kagome and at the same time, she noticed that she bore no mark. As it had been proven many times before, Michi could not contain her curiosity. "Kagome-sama, you do not bare the mark of a mate?"

The crest-fallen look was replaced with one of confusion, "Why should I?"

"The loud announcement that Sesshoumaru-sama made last night lead me to believe that he was announcing the claiming of mate."

"Oh," Kagome turned from Michi to Rin, "and has Sesshoumaru-sama always done things in a predictable way?"

Both humans giggled at Michi's dismay. She was a good-hearted youkai, so it would have been cruel to leave her in dark for long. Kagome simple stated, "Sesshoumaru-sama and I have found an understanding. I will not question why he does and does not do things a certain way. I implicitly trust my alpha."

Michi was amazed at the human's ability to state things in such a youkai way, but further confused by the next statement.

"Besides, my ruby slippers have taken me home."

Rin was confused as well. "Do the ruby slippers have anything to do with melting people with water?"

Kagome smiled at both her friends, "Hai, that and flying monkeys."

The further look of confusion was worth it, yet it was Michi's comment that almost caused Kagome to pee herself in laughter.

"Kagome-sama, wouldn't ruby slippers be most uncomfortable?"

BREAK

Madoka was not pleased; well, that was not really true. She was upset that she had to rethink her plans. If Kuro was as good convincing people to their side as he was a lover, then she had nothing to fear.

Madoka wonder if she was putting too much trust into the young inu, but then she really did not have much of a choice. Besides, who would not do anything to become lord of the most powerful province? Yes, that was what the males worried about most, power.

While she would admit to being slightly enamored with power, it was the male of each species that was absolutely hungry for it. It was this trait that opened her newest opportunity, the general scorned by her son.

The general, whatever his name was for she really did not bother herself with such trivial matters, had merely been indulging in what her son offered and for that said general was humiliated in front of the human, that abomination which currently carried the heir of the West. Yes, her son was quickly burning bridges the same exact way his father had done when he marked a simple human hime.

Madoka laughed to the empty room, it echoed throughout the room and down the hall. It was the kind of laugh that made one's skin crawl with a sickened feeling. Her son was going to suffer the same fate as his father, only he would not be able to ensure that the bitch and her whelp lived.

The great Inu no Taisho had proven his worth to the West for over six centuries before claiming a human. Sesshoumaru had neither the time nor the feats that his father had. Add to that his natural ability to push away all, friend and foe alike, and there would be no allies to stand by as he watched his bitch and pup fall to her claws.

Yes, it was a risk to kill the insane miko and hanyou pup before the sire was dead, but a grieving inu was a stupid creature. His power and strength would not be used to his advantage, while their levels would give him a false confidence. She could take down her son and then no one but pawns would stand in her way of her rightful place.

But really, one could say she was not power-hungry.

BREAK

Inuyasha had been passing by when he heard Michi's statement. He abandoned his search for the houshi in order to find his brother, his bastard half-brother.

It was not a hard task, for within the Citadel walls Sesshoumaru was a creature of habit. Inuyasha soon found him bogged down in the many scrolls that required a lord's attention.

Inuyasha paid no mind to the pleasantry of knocking; instead, he barged in flinging insults.

"Oi you bastard, you did not mark her? I told ya before, she ain't no bitch, and she sure as hell ain't no whore!" Even with the Tessaiga strapped to his hip, the hanyou's eyes were bleeding red.

Sesshoumaru had been having one of the most pleasant mornings his long life. He had awoken to a naked Kagome by his side, curled tightly into his warmth, and had the pleasure of observing the reaction of her body to his touch.

Then he had felt his pups sure movements within her for the first time, the strength of their movements spoke of the promised strength of his pack. While other activities had been put on hold to revel in the budding life within his Kagome, those activities had been recommenced while bathing.

Though his beast was slightly displeased at her need to wash away his scent, he had understood how fastidious of a creature she was. The question of how she maintained this need while wandering the wilderness would be posed later. However, the mutual bathing provided him with a perfect way to ignite the fire within her body. It was in his not so humble opinion the perfect balance to both their needs….cleanliness and intercourse in one fell swoop.

Really, what was wrong with him? He had not had this level of libido even when he was between pup hood and adulthood. Kagome drove his beast wild and left him dying of thirst. Her inexperience showed through, but she definitely was willing to learn. When she learned she would be perfection….and she would still be his.

Nevertheless, his pleasant day had ended abruptly and rather early in the morning. Couldn't his half-brother have graced him with one more hour to revel in this...contented feeling? "Watch yourself, hanyou."

"Watch myself?! Watch myself?! Just because you are alpha of the West does not mean I will bend down and let you treat her like trash. First you take her off to trek across the whole of Japan, second you rape her in front of human soldiers, and then third you bring her back here where you take her loud enough for the entire West to have absolutely no doubt what you've done, but you do not mark her?!"

Sesshoumaru flew at his hanyou brother, pinning him to floor. Both were now red eyed and the elder snarled, "You have no place to question this Sesshoumaru."

"Kagome is my place. She is my acceptance, my strength, my forgiveness, my salvation!" Inuyasha snarled right back.

"Yet, you abandoned her how many times for the walking dead?" Sesshoumaru was finished listening to his brother's moral high ground.

"Kikyou has nothing to do with this!" Inuyasha lost quite a bit of his venom as he was reminded of his many transgressions against his Kagome.

"Listen well brother, for I will only say this once. Kagome is mine. There will be no other. What I choose now, is not to force her hand into anything, ever again. I will not place her into responsibilities she does not know or understand.

"In a rash fit of passion, Father marked your mother. She knew nothing of what it meant to be the Lady of the West and all suffered for it, including you. This Sesshoumaru will not let his pack, his family, or his Kagome suffer. Know this hanyou, that my mate and pups will not be plagued by problems of rash acting."

Inuyasha's eyes had drained back to their normal yellow color, his ears plastered to his head. His voice was small as he asked the next question, "Ya wouldn't care that your heir was hanyou?"

Sesshoumaru backed off the submissive pup, "Inuyasha, you have proven that it is not such a disgrace to be hanyou, though uncouth and vile at times, you are not weak."

Sesshoumaru's amber orbs watched the hanyou pup lift himself off the floor. There was pride in the amber gaze as the elder inu realized that his brother would have died defending Kagome's honor. She inspired many to be loyal; it did not matter if they were human, hanyou, or youkai.

Inuyasha was almost out of the door before he threw one last question at his assholic brother, "Do you love her?"

END

AN: Thank you for reading. Now please, please review. I really enjoy the feedback and it helps motivate me to write. Elegant Paws says it best, "Reviews are fuel."

The next chapter is mostly written and this story is rapidly approaching its end.

Emily


	25. Chapter 25:Trouble With Hot Air Balloons

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND CO, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

AN: Thank you to ktshabatie and FallenTenshi8 for beta-ing. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 25: The Trouble with Hot Air Balloons

"_ Do you love her?_"

Sesshoumaru had cursed his father and his brother many times in the last few days. How the two of them had managed to pose questions that haunted him, he did not know.

However, cursing those two did nothing for his current dilemma. He had been avoiding pursuing his Kagome before he could answer the question his brother asked. Sesshoumaru knew that he would not be able to avoid her for long; already she had begun to show signs of distress.

Did he love her?

Did youkai ever love? Apparently, his father had thought that they did; he must have thought that he did. After all it was the only explanation of Izayoi. Yet, was that love or lust of a youkai that had been tied to a sadistic bitch for too many centuries?

The problem here was not whether his father ever loved Inuyasha's mother, no, the problem was his _need_ for Kagome.

Yes, he could admit that he needed her. She was his. He would always cherish her. She was his. He would do anything for her happiness, her safety. She was his. However, he would never let her leave his side. He could not allow her to belong to any other. She was his. She loved him. He knew that her love would only grow stronger with time.

She had damn near been destroyed by him and his inner youkai. At this, his inner inu whined pathetically. Though no matter the amount of protest and no matter how vehemently it denied the fact that he had hurt her deeper than any other, it could not be changed. Yet in spite of it, she was still with him, had learned to love him afterwards, and continued look to him for strength and comfort.

The warmth and ache that these thoughts conveyed to his chest, made him wonder if it was fear that held him back from declaring he loved her, even to himself. After all, what was the difference from accepting the idea that he was hers to actually being willing to accept that he loved her?

Long is a relative term, and when one lives the life of an immortal it stretches. Sesshoumaru stayed locked in these unsettling thoughts for weeks.

BREAK

Kagome had been distant. She was there to bid good-bye to Miroku and Rin, and watched them fly away on Kirara. Her friends had flown away.

That was not exactly true, but Inuyasha would not approach her. No male would approach her. Michi had been spending time with one of the general's sons. She was happy that Michi had found someone she enjoyed and was looking towards her own future. Yet, Kagome had no one to talk to, and as soon as she would enter a room Sesshoumaru would leave it.

Meals were solitary, and the cool autumn night air bit at her when before there had been warmth. However, she had to admit that it would not have been as bad if there was silence.

In the past week, she had taken to hiding in the gardens where the whispers turned to hush voices turned to very audible comments of the other females did not reach her ears. Michi's comment about the lack of mark had been the first of many. Kagome heard whispers of how she was not female enough to ensnare the lord.

The squawking crows spoke of how Kagome would soon be replaced and her hanyou disposed of. While the first few days of these comments she had endured and not let the jealousy of others ruin her happiness, she began to wonder at the validity of their prophecy.

Sesshoumaru wanted nothing to do with her since she and him…, since that day. He had not marked her. The others within the Citadel treated her as if she was a leper. What was she supposed to think? Solitude had never been her strong point, even when she aimlessly wandered the wilderness she was accompanied by a psychopathic, malevolent Kami.

Kagome noticed that the day had faded into a clear night. She gazed at the stars through the falling leaves of the trees. Her thoughts were turning fast in her head.

Maybe it would be better if she left, but she would give birth to her pups probably within the month. Besides that, there was the fact of where she would go. She had no home, and there was nowhere that was outside of Sesshoumaru's reach. Would he follow her? The fact that she would be running while she carried his pups meant there was no question that he would follow.

She was not the naive schoolgirl anymore; she knew that these pups deserved all that their father could provide. Everything that she would never be able to give them. The random thought that no one had bothered to fetch her for the evening meal solidified how right the hurtful whisperings of the females were. None wanted her here.

Why had Inuyasha brought her here? With Kouga, she was already accepted by his pack.

The tears rolled down her face. Her only option was to try to talk to Sesshoumaru, but she did not have the strength to know how little she meant to him. Her hand moved to her pups, her _children_, as they moved within her.

"I thought I was home."

Sesshoumaru had gone to his chambers, their chambers, and found that his Kagome was not within. He had tracked down the servants responsible for her and discovered that no one had seen her all day, not even for meals.

Quickly, he had gone on the search for her, the punishment for the servants could wait until he had his Kagome by his side. He had quickly found her aura in one of the most secluded gardens. She had not been taken; she was unharmed. However, the distress she felt hit him like a tidal wave. He had taken too long. Damn.

Sesshoumaru was within earshot when she made her declaration to the stars; he also noted that she had not eaten all day.

The voice came from behind her and she could do was close her eyes, "You are hungry."

The sigh was slow, "No, I am not."

Sesshoumaru wondered how she could ignore her body; however, he would not allow it. "The pups need you to eat."

"Hai," it was a whispered reply, but she made no attempt to move.

Sesshoumaru moved so that he was standing in front of her, "Kagome."

The sapphire orbs opened to gaze upon him, the pain and anguish within them making his chest painfully contract. "What did I do wrong?" She searched further into his soul, forcing the question into the very core of his being.

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth, but for the first time in his life, his voice faltered. Slowly, painfully he choked out, "Nothing."

His pain increased as he realized that she did not understand. "Then… then there is no fixing this. I am simply not good enough."

"No!" There was too much anger within his voice for this to be a confirmation of her statement, but Kagome did not hear it that way.

Suddenly, his temporally loss of control was no more. In less than a second, Kagome was wrapped within his arms and Sesshoumaru had his nose buried in her neck. Kagome brought her hands up to his chest and tried to push this rock of Gerbrolter away from her.

"Don't!" she yelled, her pain flooded her voice. She pushed harder on his chest but could not bring herself to use her powers on him. Sesshoumaru began a soft rumble to try to calm her.

"Don't! If you don't want me, let me go." Her voice became ragged as she tried to speak through her sobs. "I will not dishonor your house any longer, however, I ask that you never speak ill of me to our pups."

"Never!" His beast was raging that she would think to leave. She would leave the pups with him? Where was the maternal instinct that caused her to save two orphaned kits? The venom was not suppressed, "You would abandon our pups?"

"No, but I cannot offer them anything close to what you can." Her head hung down as she continued, "If I stay I will do more harm than good. Our pups will see how their mother burdened their father with her unwanted presence. They will watch me break and they will know why I am broken. I told you before that I am not strong enough to endure loving without even being wanted in return."

No. She would know how wrong she was.

He lifted her chin so that he could drown in her broken eyes, "You are right, this Sesshoumaru does not want you. I _need_ you, my Kagome."

"Then why did you push me away for so long? Why did you not mark me?"

"I did not mark you because you do not understand what it means and encompasses to be Lady of the West. I will not mark you until you know what that responsibility entails. As for long," he let a small chuckle out so that he would not maim anything, "long is a matter of years, not weeks."

"Moments, days, _weeks_ can be an eternity when you are forced to listen to the shrill words of harpies. The only thing that broke my forced solitude was the whispers of how the lord had 'finally come to his senses.' And how I would be removed with the trash."

Sesshoumaru's eyes bled red. "**Who dared?!**"

She half laughed, "Who didn't? You are their lord and I am seen as a weakness. I will be viewed as such as long as I hide behind your strength. This is not your battle."

The rage did not die down, "NO! I am your alpha; your protection is mine to take care of."

Kagome's fingers went to trace the two slightly jagged markings on his cheek. Staring deep within his blood red eyes, she spoke soft but firmly, "If you protect me from this, it will never stop. I will deal with the highborn bitches afterwards; I will not be risking our pups in doing so. They will learn why youkai should fear reiki. I do not need your protection in this, I need your support."

"This," he placed his clawed hand over her heart, "is this Sesshoumaru's to protect." Silently, he added '_to love._'

She covered her hand over his, "It is yours. Nevertheless, the flying monkeys will continue to attack as long as the witch stills lives."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed slightly, she was speaking in riddles again. Kagome paid no mind to his annoyance and forged on, "For them to be truly cowed, I am the one that must set them in their place. If you do it for me, they will always believe that I am not capable."

"Hn." She was right; he would truly be walking the path of his father if he had to constantly defend his mate from those who believed her not worthy. He would not be his father.

Sesshoumaru cradled the small woman to his chest and reveled in her scent. She seemed content to lay her head over his heart while one hand traced imaginary patterns on the other side of his chest.

"Why did you push me away?" She had not raised her head to look into his eyes, however, her one hand stilled as she felt him stiffen.

In hushed tones whispered into her ear the reply came. "This Sesshoumaru was unsure."

Kagome felt her heart constrict. He was unsure. Unsure of what?

Sesshoumaru could feel and smell the fear that was taking over her body. He was not one who enjoyed conversing with others, much less explaining things. To add to these frustrations, this was a subject that he had long since learned was dangerous to share with others. Hn.

"The half-breed brought something to this Sesshoumaru's attention. It was that in order for you to be happy with this Sesshoumaru, I would need to love you in return."

"Oh."

"Your happiness is of great importance to this Sesshoumaru, it was then that I realized that I would not be able to part with you. This Sesshoumaru's love will never be selfless, but it will always be yours, my Kagome."

She gasped as the meaning of the words sunk in. Did he just say that he loved her? Yes, yes he did. Leave it to the over-grown Chihuahua to drop something like this on her after ignoring her for weeks on end. He was probably expecting some sort of response, other than the blank stare she was giving him, to his declaration.

"Thank you."

That was it? All she could do was thank him? Why did he have to love one of the most infuriating females in the whole of Japan?

Kagome smiled as she saw the annoyance rise in his stare. It was the petty part of her that made her want to see him squirm a little. However, she would not let him flounder for long.

"I thought that you already knew. Sesshoumaru, I love you. I would not have shared that night with you if I didn't."

Before he could respond, she sealed her lips over his and poured her passion into the kiss. Subconsciously, Sesshoumaru's feet began to carry them to their chambers. These moments were private.

BREAK

Kuro had reentered the Citadel a few weeks ago, and the first thing that he noticed was the tension. Many were quietly questioning the worth of the breeder, while others spoke of the callus treatment of the concubines.

In all this discourse, Kuro realized that he would be able to accomplish his goal much more easily. The plan had been explained to him, but he knew that key factors had been left out so that he could not turn on the witch.

Kuro had spent the first week silently listening to all. There was a part of him that became excited when he realized that his goal had just become much more simple. For reasons that could only be speculated on, the tai-youkai was shunning his breeder. Apparently, Sesshoumaru's disinterest began the day that all expected to be greeting a new Lady of the West.

Since no one knew for sure what happened, no one had a problem speculating. There were those that believed Sesshoumaru-sama had in fact mated a female that night but was hiding her from the breeder. Kuro listened to rumors like these and was struck by the fact that so many envied the power within the breeder.

However, Kuro knew that once he set the plans into motion his life was forfeit. It was a small price to pay in order to ensure the West would always remain strong. With this in mind, he set out to locate General Hisashi.

It would through Hisashi that he would gain access to the concubine, Miyu. She was the best bet. It was known that she often bragged to the other concubines that she would become the Lady of West. It was her bed that the Lord turned to most frequently. It was her arrogance that allowed her to overlook the fact that Sesshoumaru left her bed empty when she was in heat.

Kuro shook his head, Hisashi was an old dog blinded by his grief. The general had lost his mate a little over three years ago and had greatly mourned her. It reflected in the way he trained the soldiers, as if his work was the only thing that could save him from the insanity of loss. He drilled and trained relentlessly until the lord allowed others access to the concubines.

It was in Miyu that Hisashi found the mirror image of his deceased mate. It was Miyu that benefitted from Hisashi's protection, for he allowed no other to come near her. However, it was Hisashi that suffered the lord's wrath when Sesshoumaru learned of the mistreatment of his concubines. Hisashi suffered the shame of being denied the female that eased the pain of loss and the shame of being called dishonorable by the lord that chose a human, a _miko_, over all youkai females to be his breeder. It was also in front of said miko that the lord chose to reprimand him.

It was through Hisashi and Miyu that Kuro would be able to flush Madoka's plots out into the open. The witch would fall in her attempts at power that was never meant to be hers. Yet, Kuro knew that she would not fall alone. A sickening role in his stomach overtook him as searched for the general.

How many within the West would jump at the chase to overthrow Sesshoumaru-sama? While many were loyal and few truly subversive, it seemed that there were many who could be swayed to disloyalty by the simple, empty, promise of power.

The final clenching fact that would help Kuro in his mission was the fact that Hisashi's eldest son had begun courting Michi. While Hisashi would never be able to claim the title of lord himself, there would be considerable power bestowed on the sire of the lord.

Kuro had patience, but he knew that the time was running short. The main hinge of the ploy was being able to gain access to the breeder while she would be weakened by birthing the pup. While Kuro hoped to figure out a way to flush out Madoka without removing the breeder from the safety of the birthing chamber, he knew that the chances were very slim. This would be why he would not live past the exposure of the plot. Kuro would have played a key role in the endangering of the Breeder of the West.

The young inu sighed, "It was a good life."

BREAK

Sesshoumaru lay propped up on the futon, starring down at the mother of his pups. She lay in between his legs on her side, with her head nuzzled into his chest. The calm and serenity that surrounded his soul had never been felt before.

In his reflections to discover the name for what exactly he felt for his Kagome, he left her completely and utterly alone. He left her alone to listen alone to the venom of those who were jealous of her.

He had sworn to himself that he would not let his pack be hurt by rash actions; however, he did not take into account the pain of inaction. She had made it clear that she wanted to be the one to put the high bitches of the West in their place, and he would respect that. Kagome was strong and far more powerful than she let on, it would not be a problem for her to prove her right to the position of alpha bitch. Nevertheless, she would not do this until after the pups were born, thereby ensuring theirs pups safety.

Sesshoumaru would ensure that all knew his regard for her while she waited to display her strength. He would be by her side and she by his at all times. The West was strong and did not require his constant attention; therefore, he would be able to spend time during the day doing things that she would find enjoyable. Things of a private nature came to mind, but those would only come at a pace that she would allow.

The closeness that they shared now was more than enough for both him and his beast to know that she was his. He had been slightly disappointed that things had not progressed further this night, but by the time he had ensured she had eaten properly, Kagome had no energy left for anything but sleep.

Sesshoumaru gently scrapped his claws over her scalp as his fingers combed through her ebony tresses. Kagome burrowed further into his chest while emitting a contented sigh. Sesshoumaru allowed his lips to turn up into a small smile. Yes, he loved her and she loved him.

The West would flourish under the strength of their union, and so too would his pack.

+END+

AN: Thank you for reading, please review.

emmaren


	26. Chapter 26: I'll Get You, My Pretty

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ**AN: Thank you to ktshabatie for beta-ing.

**Chapter 26: I'll Get You, My Pretty**

In her long life, Madoka had never had so much trouble hiding her glee. Though her face was blank, inside she was bubbling over with joy and it was all due to her son.

The arrogant pup had sided with tradition, not common sense. It was tradition that dictated that the former breeder be present for the birth of the new heir. Again, she choked on the laugh that tried to escape her throat. Her son had sent for her.

She did not have to worry about traveling in stealth to the Western Citadel, but instead would arrive in grand fashion befitting a bitch of her stature. Yes, she would return to the Western Citadel and this time she would not leave.

No, Madoka could taste her victory at hand.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Amber eyes slid shut as he relished the sensation she was creating for in him. It was the scrape of teeth that caused Sesshoumaru's vision to snap back to the darkened sapphire pools. His fingers knotted further into her ebony tresses while he fought to hold still.

Kagome felt and heard the growl of frustration and pleasure that escaped her strong tai-youkai. She would have smirked if her mouth had not been otherwise occupied at the time. The connection forged through their eyes did not break as she zealously increased her efforts to push him beyond oblivion.

There was the tell tale ache in her jaw, but the look of bliss in the normally emotionless eyes was all the encouragement she needed to continue. It was funny, because she did not understand why she enjoyed this as much as she did; in fact, she could understand why so many females would not find this pleasurable. However, the control and power that her stoic tai-youkai handed over to her in this act was intoxicating.

His eyes were closing again and that would not do. A gentle scrape of her teeth along with another none too gentle massage of his family jewels fixed that.

"Ka…" it was more of a growl than spoken word, "…gome." His deadly claws caressed her scalp as he wound her hair tighter in his grip.

The amber hue was rapidly being replaced with blood red as she continued to not only apply suction but also massaging tongue movements. This was what she loved about this act: his need, his vulnerability, his _lust_ that showed through the windows to the soul, which always seemed to have their curtains drawn. It would not be long now.

She had pushed him; she had weakened him. Sesshoumaru had not realized the power that she gained from him until it was too late, but he would never ask for it back. She had been the one to bring up this act and her wish to learn it better. The only thing that she demanded was that his eyes remain locked with hers, and truly, at the time it seemed like such a simple request for him to be able to receive this pleasure from her. However, her swirling tongue, bobbing head, and roaming hands were proving that his focus was not infallible. She was not as efficient as some females, but she relied on his responses verses taught tricks.

A lamenting groan tore from her throat as she removed him from her mouth. Quickly, she was pulled up the plain of his body, his lips crashing down on hers. His hands came down to cover the swell of her breasts, tweaking the nipples between his thumb and forefinger. Her response was her nails carving paths from his shoulders to his elbows while her mouth nipped at his lips within their passionate kiss.

She had pushed him too far. The only thing he could think about was burying himself within her. His hands forge a path from her breasts down her back, over the curve of her backside, and to her core. Stroking her womanhood with tender, sensual patterns, he noted how she was already coating his fingers with her essence.

Sesshoumaru growled in appreciation of her readiness for him while he gently ground himself into her. He was careful not to place too much pressure on her swollen abdomen. She moaned and drug her hands down the plain of his chest, his stomach, and toward his girth to help relieve some of the pressure.

Kagome 'eeped' in surprise as she was quickly lifted and then laid on her side in their futon. The pillows were quickly arranged to support her stomach and head, while her lover curled himself around her back. Before she had time to turn her head to face him, Sesshoumaru had buried himself within her. He relished the clamping muscles surrounding his aching member. Kagome pushed back into her lover, she craned her neck so that she could look upon her inu's face. Slowly, while holding her sapphire orbs he pulled out only to push back in.

Kagome smiled at her overly eager puppy, pushing up to nip at his jaw line while he played her body. His hand had moved from her raised leg to the bundle of nerves that gave her so much pleasure. This position left both of them at an awkward angle, but it was the only one left that relieved the strain of the pups on her body.

He grunted as she lay her head back down and swooped down to lavish her shoulders and neck with his own nips and licks. Something was off. While he enjoyed how tight her body was and the strength with which she clasped around him, there was an odd tension within her abdomen. It was coming periodically, and she was slightly whimpering every time it ceased her.

With a snarl, he withdrew from her heavenly body.

"Sesshoumaru …"

"The pups are coming."

The panic flooded her dark eyes. No, she was not ready. He had to be joking. True, it was a very strange time for him to find a sense of humor, but she wasn't in labor. No, she _was not ready._

Then a spasm hit her lower back and stomach with such force that she cried out. What did they say about sex? Oh, right, it can induce labor. Damn.

Cursing, he roared for the midwife while he wrapped both himself and Kagome in simple robes. He picked Kagome up to carry her to the birthing chambers.

"I need to walk."

"No."

"You arrogant Chihuahua, put me down!"

"No."

"It will help make this go faster and if you do not allow me this I will see to it that your arm gets cut off again!" Her body was tense and her teeth clenched as she spoke, no threatened throw the contraction.

Sesshoumaru was not at all pleased. His loins ached with the tension of denied release, and now his bitch was threatening him for assisting her in her time of need. She would allow him to do what was best for her.

"Sesshoumaru," her tone held warning as her hands covered his trying to remove herself from his hold.

The response she got for her efforts was a low growl from a nearly red-eyed tai-youkai. So, she responded in kind. Her very human growl was cut short by a moan of pain as her hands tightened on his in a near bone-shattering grip.

Sesshoumaru stilled in his progression to the birthing chambers, she had not made a threat to his person with this last physical exchange. No, she was merely trying to deal with the pain that was now wrecking her body. There was nothing that he could do to assuage this trouble now facing his female: nothing but to allow her to deal with it her own way.

Slowly her feet descended to the ground. It was on unsteady legs that she now stood, dictating that progression would no longer be quick and consistent but slow and sporadic. Her hand came to catch his forearm as he moved forward.

"Stay with me … please."

Sesshoumaru looked down at the small woman who had totally infuriated him only moments before. She stood in the middle of the walkway, barely, with her pleading eyes. In that, moment he realized that he would never be able to deny this creature anything. So, with a slight nod of his head the great tai-inu-youkai of the West walked shoulder to shoulder with a tiny human female.

This was the sight that greeted the midwife as the couple approached. The old woman knew that she was witnessing the dawn of a new age for the West, and it was her hope that this new age would bring prosperity to the land.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Michi had been enjoying the cool evening air in the gardens when she felt a presence approaching her. The more she tuned into the one seeking her out, the more she realized that he was trying to do it in stealth.

_'Ah, so it is a game he wants to play,'_ with that in mind she took off to a more secluded part of the gardens where the foliage offered many places to hide one's body and one's scent.

Odd, if he had not been positive of her ignorance, he could have sworn that she was enticing him into what he had planned. Honestly, he knew she was a highborn bitch, but could she be more of a prude? He was definitely going to enjoy this.

Iwao grinned feraly, as he thought of not only his impending release but also the status that he would be obtaining through his soon-to-be bitch. He had been slightly surprised when the lowly soldier, Kuro, approached him; nevertheless he listen as the faceless warrior relayed a ploy to usurp the alpha of the West.

It had always been in Iwao's mind to take down the arrogant dog that was the eldest son of the great Inu no Taisho. Disgust burned through his body as he thought how the last two alphas presumed to be strong enough to place simpering ningen females above all the honorable youkai females.

They were _youkai_! Did the arrogant dog not understand that they were far above the swine that was humanity? Hell, humans were no better than the mud wallowing pigs they fed off. The humans proclaimed their own importance and intelligence going so far as to bring animals into their servitude; the noble dog was little more than a kicking bag and something to help flush out game. These creatures were the true monsters and it was amazing the amount of evil they could create within their short lives.

However, the real insult was that Sesshoumaru expected all within the West to bow down and bare to a hanyou. Never would Iwao submit himself to such a disgrace. He would take the bitch he was currently pursuing, if she was willing all the better, and he would ensure that Sesshoumaru would not see the dawning lights of tomorrow.

Kuro had assured him that Madoka-sama would spill the blood of the tainted miko, thereby ending her existence and that of her hanyou pup. His father would call out Sesshoumaru distracting him from his human whore's plight, also weakening the arrogant alpha to allow he, Iwao, to deliver the killing blow. With himself mated to the last of Inu no Taisho's pure blood and being the one to dispatch of the great Sesshoumaru, no one would question his right to claim the status of alpha.

While he was thankful for Madoka-sama's assistance in this endeavor, he was not foolish enough to believe that she was acting with the best intentions of the West in mind. No, the only thing that bitch knew was selfish gain. However, Iwao did not worry about the treacherous bitch and her true intentions. While she was doing him a favor by disposing of the miko whore, she would still be killing the current Breeder of the West, a crime that was punishable by death. Madoka was an old bitch that should have shriveled and died long ago, and he would be sure to rid himself of old hag before she could threaten anything that was his.

Kuro would be the one to execute her, thereby proving his loyalty to the new West. If the young warrior proved as valuable as Iwao thought he would, then Kuro would have a grand future in the Western Lands.

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NO! This was all wrong. How could Sesshoumaru-sama be so foolish as to bring that witch back? True it was tradition, but in the case of Madoka, tradition be damned. She held no honor. She was nothing but a conniving, vengeful, conceited bitch.

Kuro raced through the Citadel grounds trying to figure out how to slow the trap he had set into motion. He never would have set all the players in place if he had believed for one minute that Madoka could have made it into the Citadel.

The problem now was who to approach. His creditability was nonexistent.

That was when the scent hit him; it was Iwao and some female. He had smelled the female on Iwao before and assumed that it could only belong to that of the sacrificial granddaughter. Focusing his hearing on where the scent originated from, Kuro knew that this granddaughter, Michi, was not a willing participant.

Maybe there was still room for hope.

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Sesshoumaru's claws itched to rip something apart. Though the stoic inu-youkai gave no outward sign of his unrest, he was going insane listening to the muffled moans coming from his female. Kagome lay beyond that door, that paper-thin door, in agony that he, the powerful Sesshoumaru, had no ability to ease.

Feet padded towards him and then the shoji slid open. The midwife fell to a bowed position at his feet.

"My lord," the aged voice of the woman broke the silence. "It will not be a short labor-" Her words were cut off by another strangled cry from Kagome. The midwife moved her head to glance back at the partially open door. "The breeder will be made as comfortable as possible." Without his leave, the old human quickly retreated back into the birth chambers.

He stared again at the sealed door, trying to keep the crimson from his eyes. The beast within him, and himself, wanted nothing more than to rip the flimsy barrier apart; the barrier that held him from her side while she lie in pain. It was his right to go to her, comfort her, hold her, but the birthing chamber was no place for a male. Honestly, he would probably rip the midwife apart when the woman was doing nothing more than ensuring that his Kagome and pups were safe.

Finally, the growl escaped the tai-youkai's throat. He could not stand outside any longer with nothing to do. He was Sesshoumaru; tai-youkai of the West, feeling impotent was not something he was would endure.

Decision made, swift movements carried him towards the training grounds. Correcting and disciplining would allow him to remove the feeling of listlessness from his being. His amber orbs saw the surroundings, but noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

If the stoic inu had been able to hold his beast at bay better, he would have realized the fault in leaving his female unprotected. However, the trained warrior who had learned how to control all of his emotions had yet to learn that control was a farce. The other thing that he would have done differently would have been to dress in more than the simple robe he had adorned in his haste early; this would be a mistake that he would soon realize.

The first thing that Sesshoumaru noticed was the look of shock on the soldiers' faces. They were not used to seeing their lord in anything short of his regal attire, yet this did not excuse their lack of focus. He was lord, alpha, and they had no right to question him, all be it silently.

His snarl refocused the soldiers back onto their partners as the sparring continued. Calculating eyes swept over the mass of bodies as they moved through forms and stances in almost perfection. He noted the difference between the seasoned warriors and the novices, which techniques should be practiced with more frequency. He did not disrupt his study of the West's military might as one of his generals approached him.

Hisashi knew exactly what had brought the ass of a lord to the training grounds. Truly, the inu did not deserve to be alpha. His arrogance in this time of weakness proved it just as much as taking a human breeder. Iwao, his son, would lead the West into far more glorious times than this amber-eyed buffoon ever could.

"Sesshoumaru."

The drop of the honorific alerted the tai-youkai that something was amiss before he turned to the fool who addressed him in such a manor. One brow rose as Sesshoumaru eyed Hisashi out of the corner of his eye. The stillness of the training ground told that all were now paying attention to what was about to unfold between the alpha and general.

"Sesshoumaru, this Hisashi challenges you for the rights of Miyu."

Truly, all this over a whore's 'honor.' "The bitch is worthless."

No, there was no honor in acting against an unarmed, nearly naked opponent. Nevertheless, Hisashi could not stand by and allow his intended be insulted. With a roar, he drew his sword and charged the tall inu.

In the blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru had deflected the charge with his acid whip while simultaneously back-flipping into the training grounds, his right hand reaching for Bakusaiga's hilt. Nothing, his right hand clasped nothing. Bakusaiga was not at his hip. In his haste to secure Kagome in the midwife's care he had neglected all else.

It did not matter. Sesshoumaru had fought many battles without the sword forged of his own power before, and he did not need to rely on a sword to prove his dominance now. His feet touched down on the ground, the courtyard was now empty.

The soldiers had retreated to the outer ring of the dirt patch, creating an arena of sorts for the duel that was commencing. None would interfere in this duel, for no one besides Hisashi knew that it was more than a simple squabble over the rights to a female.

"Will you not arm yourself and fight this Hisashi, Sesshoumaru?"

"This Sesshoumaru has no need for weapons to defeat the likes of you. You, who would challenge his alpha over such a weak female."

Silence reigned as both males' muscles tightened in preparation to strike. Sesshoumaru noted the building rage within his opponent and wondered if he would stay silent.

"At least the female I seek for my bed is youkai. What is yours but a fallen miko?"

Hisashi's words were followed by his strike. Launching himself with speed that many had not seen since his youth, the older inu caught cloth from the lord's robe with his sword. Before he could attempt another strike at the tai-youkai, he had to jump out of range of the glowing acid whip.

"You speak ill of the future Lady of the West?" it was more growled out than spoken. Sesshoumaru was having a hard time maintaining his humanoid form.

Hisashi volleyed again at Sesshoumaru, paying close attention to the wrist controlling the acid whip. He needed to occupy the better opponent until his son could join him. It would be Iwao's honor to deal the killing blow.

"You would make the same mistake as your father?"

Sesshoumaru would not allow himself to be baited by this disgrace. "Hn."

There was more going on in this fight than the rights to a female. His instincts screamed at him to go and check on his Kagome, but his honor would not allow him to walk away from this fight. The question was whether to keep the former general alive long enough for questioning or to just kill him now.

His dominance was questioned, his female threatened, and all this by one that was supposed to be loyal. Sesshoumaru noticed the shiftiness in Hisashi's eyes. The old dog was not alone in this, now, obvious ploy.

_'Kagome, be safe.'_ The West would not stand after this night if harm were brought to her or their pups.

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How could she have been so wrong about him? Iwao had been nothing but affectionate, kind, and honorable before this night. What had changed? She needed to get away from him to somewhere where there would be others.

Michi felt the cool autumn breeze through her shredded kimono. She could not remember how she had managed to get him off her but here she was now on her feet and running. Correction, she was on her feet and running. Now she was face down on the stone path with Iwao's clawed hands pulling her by the ankles back towards him.

"Who knew you had such a fight in you?" his sinister laugh sent a cold shiver down her spine. "You will be a fun one, but you must learn a bitch's place. On your hands and knees beneath your alpha."

Iwao began to brush aside the tattered remains of her kimono as Michi froze in fear. All her mind could recall was witnessing the brutal demonstrative claim of Kagome. No, Michi had no wish to experience that pain. She would not allow this male anything.

Michi fell to her forearms, allowing the male behind her to believe she was submitting. It took all of her patience and will to allow him to position himself behind her; however, before she could feel him at her entrance, she threw herself up and backwards. Her silver head connected with his face jarring both.

Forcing herself to focus, she scrambled away from Iwao. She had not made it to her feet before a snarling body tackled her from behind. Pinned to the ground, there was no advantage to be had. No matter which way she twisted and struggled, she could not escape the grasp of the male on top of her.

Her fear was like a fine perfume, carried in through his nose to coat his tongue. Iwao had never realized how much better rutting was when the female forced him to assert his dominance. Yes, this was truly an exquisite experience. The only thing that would make it better would be to increase her fear.

"You will be mine, and there is nothing you can do to escape. Once I have claimed you, I will kill your uncle. The miko whore and her abomination will not see the morning light. There will be no one left to challenge my right to the position of alpha," the speech was growled sensually into her ear as his tongue flicked out to caress the shell of her ear.

Michi suppressed the violent roll of her stomach. "You will fail."

There was an evil cackle from above her head as Iwao pressed his groin against her bare backside. Suddenly, the laughing stopped, the weight of Iwao removed followed by a rough cloth falling over her and a thud on the ground a little ways away.

Kuro cursed. If he had not been so concerned with the female's modesty, he would have been able to attack without notice. However, that did not matter because he could not angle himself to deal the killing blow to Iwao without endangering the female.

Now, he was facing a far more seasoned warrior and nothing to his advantage.

"What is the meaning of this, Kuro? Was it not your plan to have me use my connection with Michi to usurp Sesshoumaru?"

Grunting, Kuro moved his body between Iwao and Michi. "It has gone too far."

"It has not gone far enough! She is still unmarked."

"You are a fool, Iwao. The West fall into ruin under your leadership; you know nothing but how to strive for your own selfish goals."

"So, you set this ruse into action. For what end? To flush out those disloyal to Sesshoumaru? When he learns of your involvement, he will kill you."

"Hai."

"And how do you plan to save the whore that carries his abomination?"

"Kagome-sama is far more powerful than any of you care to see. She will not fall to Madoka, will she Michi-sama?" Kuro prayed that Michi had at least a tenth of her grandmother's intelligence. If she did, then she would realize the peril that the breeder was in at this very moment.

He sent out a silent 'thank you' to the Kami as he heard the female behind him scrabble off in the direction of the main compound. If the account of her loyalty to the breeder was correct, then she was on her way to check Kagome's safety within the birthing chamber.

Kuro focused on the male in front of him. There was no honor in fighting an unarmed opponent, but said opponent had been ready to rape a female who had never submitted to him. Said opponent was currently trying to cast the West into chaos so that he might gain more power. Said opponent was not honorable.

Lunging forward with his sword posed to strike, he was deflected by Iwao's claws. Kuro's arm that had held the sword hung uselessly at his side. Iwao's claws had ripped through muscle, nerves and tendons. However, Iwao's defense had left his throat vulnerable.

Kuro's jaws had wrapped around the traitors throat and snapped shut. Pulling his head back, Kuro took vocal cords, muscles, and arties with him. It was not until he was staring at the lifeless body of his opponent that he noticed the pain in his bowels.

Before his death, Iwao had managed to land a blow to Kuro's vulnerable underbelly. Kuro grabbed remnants of cloth to try to stem the flow of blood from his stomach wound. Idly, he wondered why he was even attempting to save his own life, when it would forfeit as soon as Sesshoumaru-sama learned of his betrayal.

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"I want an epidural!!" Why would anyone ever want to do this naturally? Kagome tried to roll so that she could stand, but was pushed back onto her back by the midwife.

"Breeder-sama, you must try and relax."

Relax? Her back and stomach were contracting so hard that she felt that her body was trying to implode. Then a truly depressing thought entered her head, her water had still not broken yet. Didn't that mean that she was nowhere near close to the end of this torture?

All she wanted to do was go to sleep and have this ordeal be over with; never again would she get pregnant. Wait, Sesshoumaru would need an heir. Oh, bloody hell. Not to mention that reliable contraceptive would not be invented for another several hundred years.

She giggled hysterically as she pictured the face Sesshoumaru would make if she told him he had to wear a condom. Abruptly, she stopped her laughing fit to grunt in pain as a gush of fluid rushed from between her legs.

_'Great, now I am peeing myself.'_

"It is a good sign, Breeder-sama. Your water has broken." The midwife moved to check her and see how the birthing was progressing. Neither woman noticed the new presence in room.

"There is nothing good for you this night, whore," Miyu's voice dripped with venom.

Immediately, the midwife was on her feet yelling at the other female to leave the room. But, apparently, it was not a good night for the midwife either as her lifeless body fell to the floor before Miyu.

Kagome opened her mouth to scream, but the sound was choked in her throat as another contraction hit. Miyu gracefully walked across the room to the small human and yanked her to her feet.

"Come, there is someone that you will be dying to see."

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Michi raced towards the birthing chambers, trying to wrap herself in the hatori at the same as time. Mentally berating herself, she had avoided going to the birth chambers when she knew Kagome was there.

Michi had been horrified by what she witnessed when Rin gave birth to her son and Michi did not want to have to witness that again. Now, because of her weakness, Kagome-sama was defenseless against those who wanted her dead.

So lost in her self-loathing that she did not notice the red clad figure until she barreled over it.

Inuyasha quickly got to his feet and recognized the disheveled figure of his niece. "What the hell happened to you?"

Michi scrambled to her feet and took in the sight of her hanyou uncle. One word left her lips as explanation, "Kagome."

Both were racing towards the birthing chambers, only to notice the lack of inu tai-youkai at the door. The smell of blood was strong and Inuyasha flung the shoji open. The site that greeted them was an empty room save a very dead midwife.

Inuyasha sniffed the air and caught the scent of a bitch he would love to shred, "Miyu."

The concubine's scent left no trail; it only lingered in the room. Inuyasha and Michi stood staring at each other as the fear started to overtake their bodies.

"Where the fuck is the wench?"

Michi swallowed the lump in her throat, "The wicked witch of the west has her."

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AN: I hope you enjoyed and find it in your heart to review. The next chapter will be out soon.

emmaren


	27. Chapter 27:And Your Little Dog Too

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

Thank you to ktshabatie and Fallen_8Tenshi for beta-ing.

*****Warning: Gory chapter, death, etc.****

Chapter 27: And Your Little Dog Too

Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head for a moment, and then his anger took over again. He had not been allowed near Kagome in over two months due to "pack laws and tradition." Bullshit. He might not know tradition and understand very little about "pack laws," but being pack meant you were protected. He had been denied his right to protect Kagome.

"Where the fuck were you?!" The silver-headed hanyou turned his anger on the only other living occupant of the room.

"I was in the garden with Iwao. We ... he-" her voice failed her completely when she heard the threatening growls emanate from the male. Immediately, she put the fear of what had almost happened to her in the past. It did not matter now. What mattered now was finding Kagome. "We must find Sesshoumaru-sama."

"NO way in hell are we wasting time searching for that bastard. No, we are going after Kagome, NOW!"

"And how do we do that? There is no scent to follow, no visual trail. Her aura is too far away to sense. Unless you have a magical link to Kagome, we will go to the only being that has been bonded with her." Michi did not wait for his response; instead, she turned on her heels and followed the tai-youkai's scent.

Inuyasha cursed as he watched Michi leave. His claws sought relief in the very shoji that his brother had been contemplating destroying only an hour before. Feeling slightly better after destroying the screen that held an image of Sesshoumaru in true form, Inuyasha followed his niece to find his half-brother. Hell if this was not going to be just one big family reunion.

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Well, she did want to be able to get up. However, being dragged by an irate inu-youkai, her hair playing the part of a leash, was not exactly what she envisioned. Kagome had given a fleeting thought about crying out for help several times, yet again this plan would not be possible. The pace at which the two moved left Kagome wondering if she was getting enough oxygen or if it was the pain that was leaving her so disoriented. She did not know and she did not care, all Kagome knew right now was that she would be more than happy to lay down and have someone tell her she needed to relax.

The sharp pain in her scalp alerted her to the fact that her situation was changing. Desperately willing her eyes to focus, Kagome tried to recognize the new person in her midst.

Madoka sneered down her nose at the two females before her. The human looked incredibly fragile clutching her rotund abdomen, while the other inu-youkai looked nothing more than a glorified whore. Well in truth, the female dog was nothing more than a glorified whore, willing to bend-over for the male that promised her the most luxury.

"You have done your part, Miyu. Now, receive your reward." Madoka smirked as simultaneously sunk her clawed fingers into Miyu's wrist that held the miko's hair like a tether. The poison released into the concubine's body would ensure that she would be dead before the moon kissed the sky. After all she was a whore, and a whore did not deserve the honor of a quick and relatively painless death.

Screeching in pain and indignation, Miyu spat, "What have you done?"

"This Madoka is simply tying up loose ends. It serves no one to allow a power-hungry whore to live beyond her usefulness."

Both inu-youkai's eyes snapped to the small human as she chuckled to herself. Though neither youkai was positive; both believed that they heard the former miko rambling on about black pots and kettles.

Miyu was the first to recover and returned her hardened eyes to her murderer. "My death will not go unavenged."

"No one will seek to avenge a female who could not prove herself better than a peasant girl."

"This 'peasant girl,'" Miyu pointed a clawed finger at Kagome with her good hand, "as you call her, is at least a miko. What was the one you lost to? What could Izayoi claim to be, besides being a better fuck?"

Madoka's eyes began to bleed red, "She was a hime!" The growl within her voice spoke of the rage she was trying to control.

Miyu cared not for the other's internal struggle, the bitch had killed her. "As if humans cold ever claim to have noble blood. You, Madoka-_sama_, were so weak that you allowed mere a human girl be marked as mate in your stead. Now, you over-look the fact that the human you taunt your son with is a powerful miko. I am dead before this night is through, but at least I go to my grave knowing that my murderer will feel the burn of purification.

"You will fail, withered bitch. You will fail because you are too blinded by your own self importance."

Madoka could not listen to the sniveling bitch any longer. In one fluid motion, Madoka removed the head of the concubine from her body and stared down at the lifeless eyes and silent mouth. It occurred to the former breeder that this was precisely what the other wanted, a quick end to a painful death.

Pulling hard on the human's hair, Madoka headed further into the wilderness. It would not do to allow her son to find them before she had reached her destination. No, that would leave too many unaccounted for variables.

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Inuyasha noticed his nearly naked half brother battling with one of the generals, Hisashi if he remembered correctly. Yes, this is exactly what Sesshoumaru _should_ be doing. No, there is absolutely _no_ reason why the asshole of all assholes should be guarding his female. She was doing nothing important, no.

Inuyasha was brought out of his musing as he heard Michi's growl. He turned his ears and cocked his head towards her.

"It is a ploy," the look of confusion on the hanyou's face forced the female to continue explaining. "Hisashi has issued a formal challenge in order to distract Sesshoumaru-sama. Sesshoumaru-sama cannot leave without a decisive victory."

Inuyasha growled before he stepped forward and pulled Tessaiga from his hip. The transformed fang's aura crackled in the air as the hanyou strode forward to the dueling inu.

Sesshoumaru had smelt his half-brother approach, but he had been too busy trying to avoid the aged general's surprisingly effective attacks. It was the charge in the air that alerted the stoic lord of his father's fang making its presence known. The dueling pair came to a standstill as the hanyou stepped in the circle.

Inuyasha did not defer to his brother as he addressed the traitorous general. "It is my right as Regent to take my lord's stead in this challenge."

A silver eyebrow cocked on the elder of the two sons of Inu no Taisho, he was surprised that his younger, crude and crass, half brother had bothered to learn any of the edicts that pertained to his role within the West. It must have been Jaken that forced the hanyou to learn. There were reasons why he, Sesshoumaru, put up with the annoying toad.

Hisashi would not stand for the indignation of having a hanyou interfere. "You have no place here, hanyou. Go; swing your father's fang at some defenseless trees. They would be worthy opponents for the likes of you."

Inuyasha's ears flattened at the insult, but he knew that it was his right to take his brother's place here. "No. I am your Regent, I bare only to the alpha. You would be wise to give up now, Hisashi. Already your plot against the breeder has been exposed."

Sesshoumaru's head snapped to Inuyasha, his eyes no longer amber, but blood red. "Where is Kagome?!"

"Gone with no scent to track," came a soft female voice. "More than likely, she is already in the claws of Madoka and Miyu is dead."

Sesshoumaru turned his head further to observe his niece. Her appearance was disheveled and it was obvious that she had been attacked. He had yet to make a move as if the threat to Kagome's life had frozen him.

Michi took another step towards her alpha, "I have no bond with Kagome-sama that allows me to track her aura."

Within a blink of an eye, all gathered in the training grounds were knocked off their feet by the explosion of Sesshoumaru's jaki as he transformed into true form. The red-eyed white mountain loomed over all as he focused somewhere to the east. Before his acidic drool could drip to the ground, the western tai-youkai took off in the same direction. Michi scrambled to her feet taking off after her uncle's gigantic form.

Inuyasha shifted, planting the Tessaiga in the ground so that he could use it to pull himself up. He pulled the fang from the ground and stared at his opponent.

Hisashi roused himself quickly, shaking the words of the bitch from his head. He did not allow his mind to wander down the path of reasonable excuses as to why she appeared without his son and still unmarked. No, the plan would still move forward. He would kill the hanyou that had caused the disarray in the West for so long and then find his son. Together they would hunt down the Western Lord and kill him. Iwao would be lord, and he would be able to retire with Miyu to satisfy his every need.

Lunging toward the hanyou, Hisashi aimed to kill. Inuyasha recognized the look within the inu's eyes and knew that he was in a match to the death. Faintly, his dog-ears picked up the other mumbling about some female not being dead. Then, as a giant lit light bulb appeared over the hanyou's head, he knew exactly whom the general had made his challenge about.

Side stepping yet another lethal swipe of the sword, Inuyasha had enough of this self-righteous inu. For fuck's sake, he was fighting over the honor of a whore! "She ain't shit; nothing but a weak bitch, whose heat was weaker than that of a ningen."

"You, filthy hanyou, will not talk about Miyu in such a manner!" Hisashi's rage was beginning to dull his ability to fight.

"Miyu was a whore that thought to become Lady of the West simple because the fluffy bastard frequented her chambers more than the others. The dunce bitch never picked up on the fact that he stayed the hell away from her when she was in heat." Inuyasha enjoyed watching the old inu's face contort further in rage. He had never been the type of fighter to go for taunting his opponent much beyond an expletive way of telling him to die. However, fighting the loud mouth wolf had ventured him into the new territory of being creative with his insults.

Though loathed, he would have to admit, this type of baiting was much more influenced by his older brother than anyone else. True, Naraku had always enjoyed toying with his opponents' emotions, his tongue being much sharper than his claws. However, it was Sesshoumaru that used his equally sharp tongue to compliment his sword.

The old dog was slowing, which was a good thing. Inuyasha didn't even have a thousandth of the experience with swordplay that elder did. The other thing he was regretting was that none of the attacks his sword was so famous for could be employed without wiping out half of the bystanders. True, it would be their own fault for not fleeing when they felt the build of Tessiaga's aura, but his pride would not allow him to use his powerful attacks on an opponent that his brother was defeating with only his claws.

"Miyu is mine and the West will no longer be polluted by the filth of human blood." Hisashi attacked again, but this time he was blinded by his rage, leaving his legs unprotected. Inuyasha seized his chance at the mistake and severed the muscles in the back of Hisashi's legs.

Hisashi was left bleeding on the ground with two lame legs, feeling the weight of the transformed fang of the great Inu no Taisho resting on his throat. Before the aged general left the mortal plane, he heard, "How does it feel, to know that one with dirty human blood killed you." Then his head was no longer attached to his body.

Inuyasha stood over the gory mess of the former general, kicking the head at the surrounding witnesses. His voice was calm but meaningful, "Who else?"

Silence.

"_Who else?!_"

None moved. Only a few dared to breathe.

All composure lost, the hanyou seethed, "IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD STAND IN THE WAY OF HER HAPPINESS?! The one we owe everything to, the one that saved us all, the one who lost everything. WHO ELSE?!"

Slowly, the soldiers knelt down and bared to their Regent.

"She is the Breeder and she _will_ be protected. She _will_ be happy, for it's her strength that ensured all of our happiness." His final declaration brought pain, but for Kagome he would endure it. "Kagome will never be the weakness that the former Lady of the West was."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Okay really, did the old witch have to use her hair as a leash? It was not as if she was not in enough pain as it was, but to have your head feel like it was on fire too, really? Whoever said you couldn't feel more than one pain had lied....big time.

Madoka was not pleased. The minute satisfaction that she had gained from slaying the whore had long since vanished. In fact, it was replaced with a feeling that seemed to be similar to regret. If she had not killed the whore, then the bitch could have served as a pack mule by carrying the human. She yanked the hair in her hand again, hard.

A sneer appeared on the witch's face as she realized that it would take days, possibly more, to remove the human's stench from her hand. However, if she let the hair go, the woman would stop moving altogether. As if birthing pups was that hard! The woman was so weak that she could not even maintain a decent pace. No, this wretched little wench was insisting on continuing to slow down.

There would be no helping it. If Madoka wanted to reach her destination before her son could threaten to catch up; she would have to carry the smelly thing. The growl did leave her throat then.

Kagome was seeing spots, her legs numb, and her scalp was on fire. She did not want to think about her stomach and back. Strangely, one story she had read about on strange cases in the medical field came to mind. It had been one where a woman had roots growing out of her ... her womanly parts. The doctor examining her had found a potato lodged up in her, and when asked how the vegetable had come to its resting place, the woman responded that she had put it there because she thought her insides were falling out. Now Kagome had no desire to become intimate with vegetables, but she completely understood how someone could come to believe that their insides were falling out.

Another contraction racked her body as her feet stumbled for placement. Her entire body pitched forward and Kagome had a conflict in that moment as to whether she should continued to hold her stomach or throw her hands forward. Fortunately, or not, she never met the ground because of Madoka's iron grip on her hair.

Kagome could feel the old witch dragging her, not giving her a chance to right herself. It is not to say that she would have been able to, the contractions were coming back to back now. The pressure was building, either the pups were coming or she really had to go to the little girls' room.

"You will stand and walk, wench. This Madoka will not lower herself to carrying a foul scented human."

Oh, oh, Kagome was excited. Her ears still worked, granted there was still this really loud ringing, but she had definitely heard someone ... insult her? It was at this point, Kagome realized that her judgment was not the best. Hey, but neither was her thought process.

What was the girl smiling about? She was about to die along with her pup and there was no hope for salvation. If Madoka had ever doubted the simple mindedness of humans before, there was no room for doubt anymore. Suddenly, Madoka's thoughts were stopped when she felt a burning pain in her hand.

Screeching, Madoka dropped the lock of hair that she had been using as a leash. Upon examining her hand, she discovered that the little wench had tried to purify her. Madoka closed her eyes trying to resist the urge to just melt the wench now. No, she needed her son to witness the death of his bitch and pup in order to weaken him enough that he could be defeated.

Kagome found herself on her hands and knees rocking back and forth. This was not good, something told her that she was about to have the pups right here. How in the hell was she supposed to be able to protect them from the insane bitch hovering over her?

Kagome realized in that moment that she would not be able to; there was no way to control her powers without causing harm to the pups. As she rolled to her back, a hoarse cry escaped her throat, "Sesshoumaru, where are you?"

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Michi followed the path of destruction left in the wake of one severely pissed tai-youkai. His speed was not to be matched by any, but she owed it to the breeder, to Kagome, to be there. If harm came to either Kagome or the pup, the blame would fall on her shoulders.

Michi had failed to save her brothers and sisters, she had failed her former alpha, and she had failed her pack. Yet through all this failure, Kagome had seen fit to welcome her whole-heartedly within a new pack. She had been offered purpose, she had been offered the right to protect and defend, and she had been offered much. But what had she done? She had allowed her breeder to weather the sharp tongues of others alone, she had refused to offer strength when the breeder needed it most, and she had allowed others to view Kagome as simply human. All of this she had done because a sweet talking male expressed an interest in her.

Michi would have hung her head in shame but now was not the time. Now was the time to prove to Kagome that she was, or could be, a pack mate. She needed to protect that which was hers. No, she did not claim to be dominant over Kagome; she desperately wanted to claim to be worthy to be within her presence.

A distant scream pulled Michi from her self-loathing. She pushed her body further than it had ever been.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

It was unimaginable. Why would anyone ever get pregnant a second time? Didn't they remember this pain?

Kagome had long since drowned out anything and everything that did not have to deal with the intense pain. It was all she could do now. The pressure was pushing lower in her abdomen, too much pressure. It felt as if she was ripping apart. Idly, she wondered if she was actually ripping and if so who would stitch it back up.

Kagome was trying to push, but her legs and arms found no leverage. This would be over sooner if someone would just help her. A hysterical laugh escaped her as she realized that this was like everything else, just another reason to pluck bald Fate's head.

The need to push came again and again she could not get her legs right. Frustrated, she screamed into the night and somehow the pain lessened, the pressure was not quit so badly anymore. Then reality set in as a voice filtered through her hazed mind.

"What sorcery is this?" Kagome desperately tried to focus her eyes and when they did, her blood ran cold.

There, just beyond her reach, was the wicked witch of the west holding her pup, her daughter.

No.

"How does a ningen wench birth a full-blooded youkai pup? It is impossible," Madoka sneered, as she held the pup closer to her nose sniffing it.

Kagome's daughter whined and trembled in her grandmother's grasp. It looked as if the black patches of fur were moving on the pup's body. She was still slick with fluids from the womb and dirt from the ground, her tail was tucked securely between her hind legs. It was this closer examination of her daughter that made Kagome realize that the moving dark patches were taint within the babe's aura.

Kagome gasped at the epiphany and the growing pressure within her lower abdomen. Trying to focus through the growing pain, Kagome was frantic to remember what she had been told about the remaining taint. Nothing would come, every time she got close, the shrill voice of the harpy would cut through her thoughts. There was only one thing to do and she prayed to the Kami that her daughter would be safe.

Madoka had been holding the weak pup, trying to figure out how this had come about. Miko had been taken before and they, like all other ningen, produced hanyou, or more specifically half youkai. How had this little wench managed to carry a full inu-youkai pup within her? It was not possible. Well at least this occurred away from prying eyes so that none would know she could have produced full-blooded heirs.

Madoka knew by scent that which she held in her hands was no male, but female. It disgusted Madoka how the little pup trembled in her grasp, for a highborn bitch, this pup had no self-respect. Bitches were such a bother for they were only gateways to power. They could never hold any true power themselves. This Madoka knew all too well, because it was this fact that had forced her to bend over and submit to the great and terrible Inu no Taisho.

It was with a sneer upon her face that the old inu continued to examine her granddaughter, and then the hairs on the back of her neck raised in warning of the danger coming. Slowly, a pearly pink glow began to climb the unsevered umbilical cord as the mother's reiki reached out for her pup. Madoka thought that the insane miko thought to purify her own child and she could not stop the maniacal laugh that left her.

It was too good. The bitch was going to kill her own pup and Sesshoumaru would know. He would know his breeder cared nothing for his offspring, sending him into a deep rage that would blind him to any attacks.

Madoka continued to laugh as the reiki reached the pup within her grasp; she would endure the minor burns to watch the pup's agonizing death closely. The pup was not whining and crying out in agony.

While the reiki seemed to focus on the pup, it was also moving up her arms burning her further. Well, if the crazed miko was not going to kill her own, then Madoka would have to. The problem was that it was becoming increasingly more difficult to even hold the sniffling little bitch. She had to figure out how to stop the reiki.

Quicker than the eye could see, Madoka's claws sliced through the umbilical cord thinking that if the connection was lost the reiki could no longer flow. She was wrong. The pup continued to glow, though now it was not such a pearly pink color but had more hues of purple within it. It was as if the pup was the source of reiki now.

Snarling, the harpy could no longer stand to hold the pup. She moved to throw the young one from her as far as possible and it was when she released the fur ball that she saw the flash of silver streak by.

Sesshoumaru had changed back into his humanoid form in order to provide more stealth; however, that advantage was lost when he saw his mother throw his pup. Kagome's aura was still strong, but the pup would not survive the impact. His muscles tensed and he sprang to save his pack.

Catching the his pup, he had no time to take in her scent, no time to ponder why she was glowing with reiki, and no time to understand why it was not burning him in the slightest. The only thing he had time for was to block his mother's attack on his female. Cradling his daughter in his left hand, he sprang to stand in front of Kagome.

Sesshoumaru was quickly tallying his options and they were looking more and more abysmal. His mother was the one he inherited his poison from; therefore, she was immune to his poison attacks. He still did not have Bakusaiga at his side, his left arm was useless, and he couldn't leave Kagome open and vulnerable. While his acid whip would not burn her, it would still force her to stay back. He thought about giving the pup to Kagome to hold, but another scream from her told him that soon his other daughter would be here.

"There is one thing that this Madoka wishes to know before you die, dear son."

"Hn." He snapped his wrist at her feet causing her to jump back.

"How did you manage to get a full-blood youkai from a human mother?"

"There are some things that will remain secret, even to you mother," he spat the words as his mind kept running over any possibilities to aid his victory.

"Ha. It matters not, for none will know of the precious bundle you hold so close to your tit like a bitch. There is no way for you to protect your pup and your bitch, especially considering that the wench on the ground is still acting like she is in labor. Is this what you align yourself with? A creature so weak her body does not even recognize when it is no longer in pain?"

Her son was doing a good job of always staying between her and the insane miko as well as only presenting her with his right side. Yet, none of that mattered because he could not risk high speeds while holding the pup and he was unarmed. The fool had run out into the woods in nothing more than a light robe.

"What were you doing while you were supposed to be guarding your bitch in her time of weakness? Your state of dress implies that you were finally indulging in the pleasure of another," Madoka smiled wickedly as she continued. Her son was so easy to anger even though many believed him emotionless. "Tell me, oh great lord, whose company were you keeping since it was," she sniffed the air, "obviously not female.

"It brings pride to my heart to know that you are so apt to be able to conceal such secret. Is that why you allow that toad to follow you?"

Kagome had been phasing in and out. The use of her power along with the labor had left her very drained, but she knew that if Sesshoumaru was there and that all would be well. It was the taunting tone of the wicked witch of the west that made Kagome focus more closely on what was being said. When the innuendo penetrated her comprehension, she had a strong urge to vomit.

"Ew!! How can you think of Jaken and anything sexual? I thought you were supposed to be smart." Both inu stopped for a second, giving Sesshoumaru a chance to dart forward at his mother.

It did not work and he almost did not make it back to block her claws from Kagome in time. He felt as her poison merged into his bloodstream, it was not a pleasant feeling and he knew why. It was a poison that he did not have complete immunity to, the old bitch had held back in her training of his younger self.

"Hn." This was not good, for it slowed him even further than he already was.

Michi took in the scene before her. Kagome lay behind Sesshoumaru panting and in pain, as if she was about to give birth. Sesshoumaru stood protectively in between her and Madoka and he was carefully shielding a bundle of fur from his mother in his left hand while his right shoulder bled. By the blinking of his eyes, Michi could tell that he was trying to fight of the effects of some sort of poison. Then there was Madoka, laughing and taunting as her hands were covered in blood. Grandma had left her back unprotected. Was she so sure that no other would come to defend the Breeder of the West? Apparently. Well it was time for revenge.

Pushing her sore muscles once again, Michi darted from her position behind Madoka. Her clawed hand ripped through skin, muscle, and bone until it reached its goal, the heart. Pulling the life organ from the old witch's carcass, her left hand came to rest on her grandmother's right shoulder. Madoka's scream of agony turned into a gurgling sound as her lungs filled with blood.

Through the increasing darkness, one voice called out to Madoka's slipping consciousness, "Goodbye, grandmother."

With her final words said, Michi pushed the lifeless body to the ground. Never glancing back at the body that was face down in the mud made from the dirt and its own blood, the younger inu moved to her alpha. Stopping five feet from the imposing figure of the male, she kneeled down and bared her neck. She had taken his kill. The only thing she could do was offer the heart of the offender.

Sesshoumaru did not care, the threat was gone. "Cast it away, it is not a trophy worth keeping."

"H-help," a hoarse whisper came from behind the stoic inu, alerting him to the need of his Kagome.

Kneeling down beside her, he showed her their pup. "She is fine."

Kagome was glad, really she was, but she could not handle anything beyond her pain. "HELP!" Her feet were futilely trying to find a perch, yet none was there causing them to slide along the dirt floor.

Michi had thrown the heart far from them and was currently looking at the motion of Kagome's legs. Then she remembered from Ichiro's birth, that Rin's legs had to be held in order to help her push out her son. Moving so that she was positioned behind Kagome, she reached forward and drew both the human's legs back towards the swollen stomach.

A growl emanating from the male told her that he did not appreciate her movements, but Michi sought to sooth him with a statement. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I believe that there is another pup coming. Kagome's legs must be held to help her focus on where she pushes."

Sesshoumaru tucked his daughter back into his body offering his warmth as he moved down to await his other pup's birth. When he looked between her legs, he saw the head of his other daughter breeching the birth canal. His free hand reflexively moved to help guide the young pup into the land of the living.

Michi was quietly whispering words of encouragement in Kagome's ear. It only took one more push before the pup was free of the womb completely. Sesshoumaru held his second daughter close to his body as he gingerly cut the umbilical cord.

His movements were slow and steady, both pups cradled to his chest. It was time for Kagome to see their daughters. Their first-born was laid on her chest as Sesshoumaru used his free arm to support Kagome's head and shift her into his lap. Once she was situated, he moved the newest member of their pact into her embrace as well.

The tremors were racking Kagome's body as the pain finally subsided. Absently, she noted the shakes were probably due to the fact that her adrenaline levels were dropping. A faint cramp was felt as Michi helped the afterbirth from her womb. Exhaustion, it was the only thing her body knew now. However, the nuzzling at her breasts did not go completely unnoticed.

Kagome focused on her daughters, trying to actually see them. "Why don't they have any markings?" It was barely above a whisper.

A deep baritone that she had learned to associate with safety, washed over her. "Markings are earned. Their eyes will not open for at least a few more weeks."

"Oh," her eyes closed and she smiled. "Pretty silver puppies." The pups' color was true silver, not a dull grey or crisp white, but the ethereal glow of silver.

"Hn, they are bigger than I thought they would be." Sesshoumaru noted that each one was slightly too large to fit within his hand, extending about a quarter of the way up his forearm.

Sapphire orbs shot open, her head jerked so that she was facing him. Her voice was tainted with a hint of panic, "Can you tell them apart?"

"They each have a unique scent." The look of defeat on his Kagome's face was not one that he enjoyed. Now was a time to enjoy. His Kagome was safe, their pups were born, both healthy. He had his pack within his arms. What could she find to be upset about?

"How will I know?"

The soft growl was a gentle reprimand. "You are their mother. You will know your own daughters." He felt her weakly nod against him for he had brought his head down to nuzzle her cheek. "Hold them tight, it is time we return home."

The tai-youkai stood and melted the afterbirth. He wanted none to have a taste for either his mate or his pups. Walking at a steady pace, Kagome cradled to his chest as she cradled their pups, he began the trek back to the Citadel. Names would come after the pups were fed and Kagome rested.

Forgotten by the new family, Michi followed. Her heart was light; Kagome and the pups were safe. Never would the young ones have to know the fear that was their grandmother; and finally her brothers and sisters had been avenged. A new day would dawn on the West and Michi would be free to enjoy it.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Inuyasha had traced Michi's scent back through the garden. He would ensure that Iwao was dead. Inuyasha's ears flattened as he resigned himself to allow Kagome's protection to fall solely in Sesshoumaru's hands. His brother would not fail.

The scent of blood drew Inuyasha out of his depressing and worrisome thoughts. His pace quickened as he hunted down the source, or rather, sources.

Inuyasha found two bloody bodies; one dead and the other not. He recognized the dead body as Iwao; the other one was of a vaguely familiar low ranking soldier. It was obvious that the soldier had killed the general's son, with his teeth no less, but recognition came as Inuyasha studied the inu's face. He was one of the guards that went with Kagome to the forbidden island.

Kuro's silver eyes fluttered open as he felt himself being rolled onto his back. The triangular ears gave away the identity of the one who found him. "Is Kagome-sama safe?" he rasped out.

Immediately, Kuro found himself being pinned to the ground by a growling hanyou. "What the fuck do you know of the threat to Kagome?"

"Much, too much," was choked out by the weakening inu.

Inuyasha could smell the shame and guilt coming off the dying youkai. "Who was behind it?"

"Madoka."

Inuyasha hated it. This filth had obviously been a part of the plot, meaning that he was rightfully Sesshoumaru's kill. Releasing his hold on the traitor's neck to drag him by his hair, the golden-eyed hanyou headed for the dungeons.

Casting a foreboding prophecy over his shoulder, Inuyasha spat, "I hope that you are ready for Hell."

Kuro only closed his eyes and laughed humorlessly, "That is where I have been these past months."

*+*+*+*+*+*

AN: Yeah so, a few things this time. First, have I told you how much I love reviews? No? Okay, I love them. I like to hear what people have to say.

Second, the whole Kagome not taking down Madoka thing. I am sorry but I could not see how she would be able to while in labor. Besides, I thought that it was poetic justice for Michi to do it.

Third, you will learn Kuro's fate in the next chapter, and also, the next chapter will have a lemon. I am wrapping this story up, it is up to you to ponder if I am mean enough to kill an enjoyable character so close to the end.

Thank you for reading.

Emmaren


	28. Chapter 28: Of Pack

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.**

Thank you to ktshabatie and Fallen_8Tenshi for beta-ing

AN: I was planning on doing more in this chapter, but I am having a hard time having it clear up in my mind. For this reason I take back my statement on this story ending soon. As some of you have mentioned there many minor characters that deserve more than a line or two in the epilogue. I cannot promise chapters will be quick, but I can promise that I will finish this story.

****Warning: Sexual content in this chapter.****

Chapter 28: Of Pack

They were just too cute. It had been three weeks since their birth and her little silver fluff balls had yet to take humanoid form or open their eyes. Instead, they spent their life intertwining themselves together and eating. Kagome had never realized that you could have bouts for dominance before you were even able to open your eyes, but these two pups were constantly at each other for the best spot, breast, etc.

Masumi was the eldest and Akira the youngest; the two pups had only been seen by their parents and cousin. Sesshoumaru had allowed no other near his pack, not even his brother. He had left all important matters to be decided by the Regent and anything else could wait. He had yet to claim Kagome as mate, however the moment she had recovered enough from the birthing she would be bound to him for eternity.

Michi approached her ever agitated uncle and alpha with the mid day meal for Kagome. The inu-youkai did not have a problem with performing the task of a servant, in fact, she found honor in being the only individual allowed to approach the den. Michi also was glad that others had not been allowed near the vulnerable pups and mother because the frantic frenzy of the highborn bitches as they tried to figure out how to oust the breeder and place themselves in the position of mate and Lady of the West.

Michi understood that only three living adults knew that both pups were female and it would be safer for all if that fact did not come to light until Kagome was able to defend herself and her young. Michi sighed as she left the hallway to return to the rest of the Citadel, there would always be those who wished for Kagome's death, it was that simple. Kagome very soon would hold the position of highest power a female could ever hope to obtain within the West and that alone would make others envy and wish to replace her, her humanity only adding to it.

Kagome would have to stand on her own to prove her strength, her power.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Inuyasha was beyond pissed. All the important matters fell to his shoulders to decide. What the fuck? Hadn't he been the worthless hanyou, the one to sully the noble bloodline? Now, he was expected to maintain the West while his arrogant, over fluffed half-brother hid in his room all day with Kagome and their pups. No. He wouldn't do it. Let the asshole clean up his own messes.

Inuyasha's ears twitched as he noticed the padding feet coming in his direction. He identified the scent as belonging to Michi before he laid eyes on his niece.

"Sesshoumaru-sama has requested your presence," with a quick bow, she was gone.

"Feh, asshole," Inuyasha muttered under his breath as adjusted his course to Sesshoumaru's private chambers.

His brother met him before he ever had the chance to enter the anti-chamber. The silver inu stood rigidly before the shoji that separated his private realm from the rest of the world.

"Inuyasha, you will guard Masumi and Akira. It is time their mother is properly claimed," Sesshoumaru's voice held every bit of the arrogance that the hanyou had come to expect from the tai-youkai.

"Fuck off. I ain't sitting out here listening and looking after your brats while you 'relieve stress.'" Inuyasha's proclamation was met with a low threatening growl.

"You will accept the honor that has been bestowed upon you, and you will do so with a demeanor befitting your bloodline." Sesshoumaru was not about to have the hanyou ruin his chance at claiming Kagome. His skin had itched for weeks now with his need. The beast was fighting him every waking moment to not allow her to remain unmarked, yet he knew that once she was marked she must be strong enough to prove her right to carry said mark.

"Get someone else to watch the brats," with that said Inuyasha turned to leave.

Sesshoumaru snarled and sunk his claws in the back of his brother's neck. The hanyou was thrown to the ground only to find a growling inu youkai above him. The ruby eyes pierced into the soul of the hanyou and made him want to whimper in apology.

A gravelly voice reached the pinned dog-ears, "You are the only one to be trusted with this Sesshoumaru's pups."

Inuyasha cocked his head to the side; his mouth fell open with no sound coming out. For the first time in his centuries of his life, Inuyasha found himself flabbergasted. The brother that was always so quick to point out his flaws, his dirty blood and his utter worthlessness as a living being needed him. Had Sesshoumaru finally seen him as something more than a hanyou?

Sesshoumaru watched the confusion and hope that played across his younger brother's eyes; his instincts receded as the submission of the lesser male became apparent. It was time his brother knew his place.

The stoic youkai stood and made his way towards the shoji. Over his shoulder he spoke, "Pack guards pack."

And that was it. Inuyasha stood shaking his head in the process his brother had claimed him. Sesshoumaru did not own him because he swore allegiance to the West, Sesshoumaru owned him because Inuyasha was pack. The second son of the great and terrible Inu no Taisho finally found a place within the domain of his birth, a true pack that could not be denied by any. Inuyasha followed his alpha to meet the youngest of his pack mates, his nieces.

As Inuyasha entered the anti-chamber, Sesshoumaru and Kagome appeared from another door carrying one silver pup each. Kagome moved forward to nestle the pup she was carrying within a make shift bed of pillows and blankets, then immediately moved to take the other one from Sesshoumaru and place her next to her sister.

Inuyasha stood and stared dumbfounded for the second time that day in almost so many minutes. They were not hanyou.

Kagome was nervous. She knew that many were well aware of her and Sesshoumaru's activities behind closed doors, but to have her best friend watch her babies in the room right next door was offending her modesty. "So, they have just been feed and should be happy to sleep the entire time that …" her face reddened, as she could not finish the sentence. Clearing her throat, she tried a different avenue. "They will sleep more soundly if you lay with them. Your scent is foreign but your aura is not. Meet your nieces Inuyasha. Masumi," she stroked the one on the left, Inuyasha bent down and inhaled the small youkai's scent, "and Akira." Inuyasha moved to the other pup and imprinted her scent as well.

As Kagome stood, Inuyasha questioned softly, "How are they not hanyou?"

With a soft smile on her face, Kagome looked at her dog-eared friend. "I...ah we don't know. All we know is that they are ours." Kagome took her place beside her alpha.

They were theirs. They happened to be youkai but it would not have mattered if they were not because the pups were theirs.

While Inuyasha was enthralled with his nieces, Sesshoumaru and Kagome slipped back into their sleeping room. She had no more slipped the shoji shut when a barrier encased all of the private chambers. A soft growl, felt more as rumble through her back than heard, and the warmth of her lover's body against her told her that he no longer could wait.

She stood compliantly as he made quick work of removing her simple robe. Still facing the closed shoji, a hiss of pleasure left her lips as she was pulled back into the heat of his naked body. Large clawed hands found purchase on her breasts, gently plucking the sensitive nubs with thumbs and forefingers.

Sesshoumaru rumbled softly as his head descended towards hers. His lips wrapped around the fleshy part of her ear, while he nudged her head so that she would bare her neck to him. One hand slid from her breast to her nether curls. Already she was drenched with her desire for him, before he could even stroke her bundle of nerves. He groaned into her neck and he pushed his painfully heavy length against her back.

The shuddered moan that was her response snapped the remaining control that he had left. They had not been intimate since before the pups' birth and in the back of his mind he found it humorous that he had managed to go years in between sexual encounters without feeling the same level of desperation that he was now in since being denied her body a few short weeks.

With grace and speed that belied his ever-increasing hunger for her, Sesshoumaru carried Kagome to their futon, placing her before him on hands and knees. Kissing her exposed shoulder, he slowly pushed his tortured length within her blazing inferno. Foreplay was for another time. Both shuddered at the reaffirmed physical connection of their bond, but Sesshoumaru stayed still trying to quell the need to take her fast and hard. No, she was not as sore as she had been directly after the birth, but by the tensing of her muscles, he could tell that she was still overly sensitive. He did not begin to move until he felt her push back onto him. The pace he set was slow and steady, allowing him to judge each of her reactions carefully. The mating would be painful, but he would not add any unnecessary pain.

One hand swept her obsidian tresses up into to a firm hold while the other played with her sensitive bud nestled at the apex of her long legs. His thrusting hips became more forceful, fangs elongated, and her moans cried out in a symphonic fashion. As her inner walls began to ripple around him in euphoric bliss, he knew it was time.

The deadly fangs gave off an eerie glow as small amounts of his youki and poison began to mix. He pressed the tips with just enough pressure to break her delicate skin on the back of her neck; her pleasure filled cries turned into low moans of pain. His rhythm never faltered as he began to inscribe his name in an old kanji. Her blood filling his mouth drove him to a new frenzy of domination of her body while his control ensured that his fangs never went too deep.

Yes, he could have just bit her, which was all that his father had done to Izayoi, but the more intricate the mark, the truer the bond. It showed the female's absolute trust in the male. To allow another that much access to a vulnerable part of your body, especial when the male was a poison master was an undeniable claim.

Kagome closed her eyes to the world. He had told her that this would hurt, and she wondered if it was truly any different than getting a tattoo. Her thoughts left her as his hand moved from her clit to grasp at her breasts. The male was gifted when it came to, well, anything, but _especially_ carnal pleasure. There was too much going on all over her body for her to focus on one thing for too long. All she knew was that she wanted to be able to touch him and yet her hands were holding her steady so that he could finish this marking.

His name stared back at him in overlapping in duplicate. Beautiful, Kagome had not flinched. In fact, she seemed to enjoy the new level of pain this had brought; her pleasure called out to his darker half. Yes, he would enjoy repeating the process on her delicate throat.

His new goal in mind, Sesshoumaru withdrew from her and flipped her over. Before Kagome had time to finish inhaling her startled gasp, Sesshoumaru had cover her body with his and driven himself home. Kagome heard his pleasured growl as she wrapped her legs around his hips, inviting him deeper, begging him to drive into her harder.

His red hazed eyes overflowing with lust was her entire world in that moment, and then her reality hit a new crescendo. The kiss was mind shattering as he showed her his dominance in this as well. A tongue invaded her mouth coaxing hers to play with it so that it could prove who was in charge. Her hips rose to meet his. Her submission would never be complete, but her trust in him was absolute as she pressed against the limits of his instincts.

His Kagome was maddening, yet no other would ever complete him, encase him so perfectly. She was his, he was hers, and she would bear another of his marks for the whole world to see. Releasing her mouth, he pulled her head back with both hands fisted in her hair.

Kagome could see his glowing fangs as he continued to own her body. She watched as his head descended to her throat until all that was left in her vision was silver crown of hair. The pain tracked down her spine as he began to carve his ownership of her. Kagome made no noise as her tai-youkai continued to brand her for fear that it would cause a mistake. Her response was instead to drag her nails down his back while her heels dug into his backside.

Sesshoumaru growled at her need for control. While from any other it would have cost them their life, from her it drove him to prove himself even more. She held power that was second to none, painfully that included himself, yet for all this power, she knew that control was an illusion that faded when one needed it most. Her heart would never allow her to pursue the role of a tyrant; she willingly gave him the power to be her alpha, she clung to him to protect her. He would cherish his Kagome until the end of time, and bestow upon her his mark so the rest of the world would know his devotion.

A languid lick soothed the fresh inscription on her throat. Crimson orbs burned into to sapphire oceans, as the tai-youkai continued the ancient dance that unified two bodies into one.

"Please," nothing above a hoarse whisper, but he knew her meaning. She needed release, the pleasure and pain had mixed to an intoxicating elixir that now just drained her body of energy.

With a grunt of pleasure, he moved his hands from her hair to her hips. He angled her so that she was more open to him increasing his speed and force; his rhythm made sure to give her maximum friction on her clit. The pressure was building to blinding heights. How he always managed to do this to her yet take her by surprise each time, she would never know but be eternally grateful.

The crescendo came to a finish with her ragged cry that was lost in his snarl of triumph. Elongated fangs tore into the left side of her neck just above her collarbone. Whimpering in pain, Kagome pulled Sesshoumaru closer as her body milked him of his essence and offered her lifeblood. They were locked. His jaw refused to release its hold while he swelled within her to ensure none of what he gave her was lost.

The moments slipped into minutes while the two beings fought to remain as one for as long as possible.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Inuyasha had tried his hardest not to think what was going on behind the rice paper walls, but come on. The walls were as thick as paper! Even if he could tune out the noises, the meager walls did nothing to filter the smell.

It was for Kagome. As much as he hated it, she had found happiness and he would be happy for her. However, he would not play nursemaid to her pups while she fucked his brother ever again.

Breathing shallowly, the hanyou focused back onto the sleeping piles of soft silver fur. They looked like their father in true form (minus the markings of course). Feh, he always knew that his brother looked like a prissy bitch.

He brought his face right next to the two sleeping pups and allowed a small smile on his face. One brought her head up to chew on a tuft of his hair, while the other used his distraction to attack his ear. How the hell had they managed that? For fuck's sake, their eyes weren't even open and already they were teaming up to attack.

About the time he had gotten both detached from his person and settled down, there was a deafening snarl from the sleeping chamber. Inuyasha's hackles rose further as Sesshoumaru's daughters raised their heads to howl in response to their father's call. As their tiny heads lowered, the hanyou noticed the difference; their eyes were open.

Gold ringed the outside and followed the outline of the cat-like pupils; the field between was of the same color as their mother, drowningly deep sapphire. The two sets of eyes just blinked back at him and he was lost to time. These were Kagome and Sesshoumaru's pups; they grew strong as the bond between their parents grew. They were the future that he, no they, had fought so hard to ensure would happen. They were beyond anything he knew, and a small seed of hope was planted with him that someday would grow to fill the bottomless pit left in his soul by Kikyou's passing.

Who knows how long Inuyasha stared into the eyes of his nieces, but his serenity was lost the second his brother came into the room.

"Inuyasha, you will fetch Michi and then both of you will guard my mate and pups until this Sesshoumaru's return." The emotionless baritone of his brother snapped Inuyasha's head towards the approaching male.

"What the fuck, Sesshoumaru? You just gonna fuck her and leave her?" Inuyasha was more pissed about being disturbed from his peaceful moment than what Sesshoumaru was actually doing.

A warning growl sounded, "Hanyou, know your place. You are not to question this Sesshoumaru." The elder male's advance on the younger was halted when his eyes fell on his daughters.

The two little pups blinked back at him and it caused Sesshoumaru's world to stop as well. They had opened their eyes and he had missed it, Kagome had missed it.

In a softened tone that Inuyasha had never heard from his brother, Sesshoumaru said, "The West will greet their new Lady tomorrow and the newest members of this Sesshoumaru's pack. I call on you now, brother, to guard my mate and pups so that I can prepare for the dawning of a new day."

Inuyasha dumbly nodded at his older brother and then turned to find Michi. Pack was pack.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Kuro stared at the damp walls. How long had he been staring at these walls? He had no idea, and really, he was too tired to figure it out. He had been placed in here by the hanyou son of the great and terrible Inu no Taisho to await his judgment by Sesshoumaru-sama.

He found it odd that he was actually thankful the enchantments of the dungeon slowed his healing. If he was fully healed he would not be able to escape this place through sleep so frequently. He had been told that his time was up soon. The West would be welcoming a new lady and the first pups born to Sesshoumaru.

Kuro snorted. The West would celebrate new life and the promise of the future with his death. He had enough time in this place to become slightly bitter with himself. He should have tried to inform his Alpha of the traitors' plans. He should have done more to ensure the breeder's safety. There were many things he should have done differently and now his only option was to hold his head with dignity before execution.

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AN: Please review if you get a chance. Thank you for reading.

emmaren


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